The Maldives is anticipating a 40% increase in Chinese tourist arrivals this year, according to Fathimath Thaufeeq, the managing director of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).
In a recent interview with China’s Global Times, Fathimath expressed optimism about the resurgence of Chinese tourists to pre-pandemic levels in 2023.
“China has always been a key market for Maldives’ tourism sector. We saw a steady rise in the number of Chinese visitors before the worldwide travel restrictions and after China reopened its borders,” she stated.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, China was the leading market for tourist arrivals in the Maldives.
During his latest state visit to China, Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu urged for enhanced efforts to restore China as the top source of tourism for the Maldives.
In his speech at the Invest Maldives Forum in Fuzhou last week, Muizzu emphasized, “China was our foremost market before COVID, and I urge for concerted actions to help China reclaim this status.”
The visit saw Maldives and China signing over 20 agreements and discussing the expansion of direct flights connecting the Maldives with various regions in China.
Last year, the Maldives saw tourist arrivals surpass 1.8 million. The majority of these visitors were from India, totaling 209,198, closely followed by Russia with 209,146. China ranked third with 187,118 tourist arrivals.