Maldives says hopeful to welcome 100k Chinese tourists in 2023
“The country's largest tourist market has stayed away for three years and today they have officially returned. I'm really excited", Minister Mausoom.
By
Ahmed Mizyal
The number of Chinese tourists arriving, after a major hiatus of nearly three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic is expected to cross 100,000 this year, tourism minister Dr Abdulla Mausoom said Wednesday.
A Beijing Capital Airlines flight carrying Chinese tourists landed at Velana International Airport (VIA) at around 12.45pm Wednesday.
Tourism Minister Mausoom, MMPRC Managing Director Thoyyib Mohamed and other senior officials of MACL were present to welcome the tourists.
Speaking to reporters at the airport, Mausoom said that when Chinese tourists started coming back after a major hiatus, this would reflect on the growth rate of tourism in the Maldives this year.
The minister said:
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During the "golden era" of the Chinese market, 30% of tourist arrivals were accounted for by the market alone
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That is close to 360,000 per year
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280,000 Chinese tourists came in 2019
"Even if that doesn't happen this year, we are looking at it to cross the one hundred thousand mark. If that happens, it will be a big boost," the minister said.
“The country's largest tourist market has stayed away for three years and today they have officially returned. I'm really excited."
Mausoom said that just as Chinese tourists have little patience to come to the Maldives, the tourism industry in the Maldives is ready to welcome Chinese tourists.
"The Chinese market is very product-friendly in the country. We have the kind of products the Chinese want. They have run out of patience for these three years [to come to the country]," he said.
"We're looking forward to a lot of Chinese tourists coming this year."
Beijing Capital will operate four charters to the Maldives, with three this month and the last on February 1.
China Eastern will begin scheduled flights on January 28, with flights every Saturday.
China will account for at least 10% of the total tourist arrivals to the Maldives in the coming months, Maldives Travel Agents and Tour Operators Association (MATATO) said last week.
