Tourism – Maldives Daily News

Maldives Greets First Tourist of the Year, Hailing from the United Kingdom

maldives daily news — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 10:02:57 +0000

The Maldives welcomed its first tourist of 2024 on early Monday morning, with a special reception held at the Velana International Airport (VIA).

The guest of honor, Benjamin Duncan Moore from the UK, arrived in the Maldives to join his friends. The welcoming event saw the attendance of key figures including Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal, Fathimath Thaufeeq, the Managing Director of MMPRC, and the heads of Maldives Immigration and MACL.

During the ceremony, Moore was honored with various gifts from the Tourism Ministry, MMPRC, and MACL. Additionally, he was gifted a complimentary trip to CROSSROADS, which includes a plus one and is valid throughout the year.

Looking ahead, the budget for this year anticipates welcoming 2.1 million tourists. Tourism Minister Faisal has articulated plans for intensified marketing efforts to promote the Maldives as a tourist destination. These strategies aim to bolster tourist occupancy rates, ensuring the achievement of this year’s ambitious tourism target.

Tourist Arrivals in Maldives Surpass 1.8 Million Mark

maldives daily news — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 09:52:32 +0000

As of now, the Maldives has achieved a significant milestone by welcoming its 1.8 millionth tourist for the year, successfully meeting its original tourist arrival goal.

Stefan Mathijs, a visitor from the Netherlands, arrived in the Maldives with his family on a recent Wednesday evening. His arrival at the Velana International Airport was greeted by Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal and Fathimath Thaufeeq, the Managing Director of the Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation, along with other senior officials.

The Maldives, having been awarded the title of World’s Leading Destination for the fourth consecutive year at the 2023 World Travel Awards, initially set a target of 1.8 million tourists for the year. However, this target was later revised to 1.

9 million, which, if achieved, will set a new record for the highest number of tourists in the country’s history.

Tourism Minister Faisal, speaking with the media, expressed confidence that the Maldives would reach the revised target of 1.9 million tourist arrivals. He noted that the country is currently witnessing an average of 5,000 tourist arrivals daily, though he cautioned that this number varies each day.

A key focus for tourism development, according to Minister Faisal, is the ongoing expansion of the Velana International Airport. He referenced President Dr. Muizzu’s commitment to completing the project within 8-9 months as one of his principal promises.

Stefan, honored as the Maldives’ 1.8 millionth tourist of the year, shared with reporters his surprise at the recognition. He mentioned that his family’s vacation in the Maldives was part of a longer trip, including a visit to Sri Lanka. They plan to return to the Maldives for another five days before heading home, looking forward to enjoying more time in the water under the sun.