Maldives pulled out all the stops for the 500,000th visitor of the year, with a festivity of Maldivian cultural activities.

While the country welcomed a record breaking 1.7 million tourists in 2019, a two million target was made for the ongoing year. This all changed following the Covid-19 pandemic, which has taken a toll on the country’s tourism industry and in turn economy.

The archipelago nation closed its borders on March 27, which were reopened on July 15. While arrivals were lower than expected following border reopening, there has been a increase in visitors each month since. The country welcomed the 100,000th visitor since border reopening, last Saturday.

The 500,000th visitor of the year, Kristin Madeleine Nittke, arrived on Thursday morning, and was given a grand welcome by officials from the Ministry of Tourism together with Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), Maldives Immigration and Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).

Kristin was presented with a special gift by MMPRC Managing Director Thoyyib Ibrahim, alongside special gifts from the other institutions including a holiday voucher of a seven-nights complimentary accommodation in an Island Villa on full board basis as well as a voucher for the first of its kind Covid-19 Insurance by Allied Inbound.

Minister of Tourism, Dr. Abdulla Mausoom said surpassing the 500,000th milestone “in this challenging year in advance of the forecasted date is the result of combined efforts of tourism industry partners and the government”.

Noting that this is the result of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s “timely decisions backed by the tourism industry partners’ determination to revive [the] tourism industry,” the minister thanked the Health Protection Agency, health professionals, related government authorities as well as volunteers for their hard work “to brand the Maldives as a safe and secure destination to the international community”.

MMPRC Managing Director, Thoyyib Mohamed said it is “remarkable” to keep on achieving such milestones amid such a pandemic.

Highlighting that the country just recently welcomed the 100,000th visitor since border reopening, Thoyyib said “this is, indeed, the result of joint efforts by the entire tourism industry in both the public and private sector”.

CEO and MD of MACL, Gordon Andrew Stewart said that “so much effort has been put in place for this day,” adding that Team Maldives has done exceptionally well in promoting destination Maldives as a safe place to visit.

Noting that MACL contributed its part in maintaining the high safety standards at Velana International Airport and with “attractive incentive packages” to partner airlines, he said that MACL will continue to maintain the high standards of safety “until vaccines are successfully administered”.

While over 112,000 tourist arrivals have been recorded since border reopening, there was a total of 382,760 arrivals prior to the closure.