'Many parties offering to partner with border miles programme'

Controller General of Immigration, Mohamed Ahmed Hussain has said that many parties have expressed an interest in partnering with the "Maldives Border Miles" programme, and that they are still seeking to explore more avenues of collaboration with potential partners.

He made the remarks while speaking to the press following the event where the Maldives Border Miles programme was officially inaugurated, at the ceremony to welcome the first tourist arrival of 2021 to the Maldives.

Hussain said that the goal was to craft the programme in such a way that there were opportunities for all within, and that he was hopeful for the future of this programme even though it is the first of its kind for the world.

The immigration official admitted that they faced difficulties at the initial stages, adding that these were overcome with "critical support" from their partners.

He further highlighted that travelers to the Maldives could easily enter the border miles programme through their website, and that their points would increase every time they crossed the border.

The first tourist welcomed to the Maldives in 2021 was a German traveler in-bound to main Velana International Airport (VIA) on a Qatar Airways flight; the first visitor of the year received a free membership for the Maldives Border Miles programme.

With three distinct tiers for "loyalty" benefits, the Maldives Border Miles programme, which is especially designed for tourists, offers many perks to partners with special discounts.

Designed by the government to further promote Maldives among global tourist markets, the Border Miles programme is projected to help increase Maldives' popularity as the ideal holiday destination so that we can create and benefit from a more prosperous tourism industry.

Over 552,811 tourists visited the Maldives in 2020, and the Ministry of Tourism aims to welcome 1.5 million tourists to the country this year.