As the world now enters into a post pandemic world, the Maldives has opened its doors to the world and until recently to China. After almost a 3-year hiatus, the first direct flight from China to the Maldives was commemorated.A vibrant celebration was hosted by The Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) to Welcome the first Chinese flight following China’s international border closure due to the Covid-19 outbreak after reinstating the flights. The first flight carrying the first batch of Chinese tourists to the Maldives was a JD455 traveling from Beijing Daxing International Airport.
The passengers onboard in the inaugural flight was greeted with great spirits with a water salute upon landing. At the Velana International Airport (VIA) The first delegation of tourists was welcomed warmly with beats of traditional BoduBeru, each passenger received roses and gift packs. high-ranking Ambassadors, Ministers, top-level executives from the Governments of Maldives and China attended the ceremony. The arrival charts in Maldives were consistently topped by the Chinese Market dominating the source Market list with a share of 16.7%, prior to the pandemic. In 2019, The Maldives welcomed 284,029 tourists from China. However, the pandemic greatly affected the arrival count, in 2020 the Maldives recorded only 34,245 arrivals from China.
