Business
Maldives posts double digit growth in tourist arrivals for second month
Maldives on Tuesday posted a double digit growth in tourist arrivals for the second month in a row despite heightened political instability.
Maldives has attracted a wave of bad publicity following the recent declaration of a state of emergency, which ended late last month. However, the political turmoil is strictly restricted to the capital city, away from the resorts and local islands where holidaymakers stay in.
Official figures for the month of March released by the tourism ministry show that a total of 133,466 tourists visited the Maldives during the month — an 18.5 percent increase over the 112,665 tourists in March 2017.
Europe, the largest regional source market, posted an overall growth of 33 percent over March 2017, as arrivals increased to 82,383 from 61,927. All the major European markets such as the UK (up 17.5 percent), Germany (up 43.8 percent), France (up 24.3 percent) and Italy (up 33.3 percent) made strong gains last month.
However, arrivals from Asia, the second largest regional source market, decreased 1.8 percent.
Arrivals from China declined by 27.5 percent to reach 13,203 compared to the 18,203 in March 2017. This decline, which came after a 38.1 percent growth in February and a decline of 15.8 percent in January, offset the rare gain in numbers from China and led to a 0.8 percent decline in arrivals from the Maldives’ single biggest source market for January-March period.
Major contributors to Maldives tourism from South East Asia posted strong performances in March, with arrivals from countries such as Malaysia and Thailand increasing by 66 percent and 108.1 percent respectively. Arrivals from Singapore, however, declined by 15.4 percent.
Arrivals from South Asia, which has become one of the fastest growing source markets, declined for the second month in a row. Visitors from India, which is the most important market in the region, decreased by 1.8 percent in light of repeated travel advisories.
Meanwhile, relatively new markets continued their upward growth trajectory last month as well, as arrivals from the Americas were up 24 percent, Oceania up 49.4 percent and Africa up 11.4 percent.
Arrivals from the US, which last year secured a place amongst the top 10 contributors to the Maldives tourism industry, increased by 22.4 percent to reach 4,043 last month compared to the 3,302 in March 2017, while the number of visitors from Australia also increased by 49.7 percent. South Africa, which was once a major source market for the Maldives, also posted a 42.3 percent growth after a seven percent decline in February.
Middle East, which has proven to be a volatile market, posted another disappointing 9.3 percent decline in March. This decline, after a rare uptick in January and a major decline in February, is largely due to fall in numbers from major Middle Eastern markets such as Saudi Arabia (down 17.3 percent), United Arab Emirates (down 14.7 percent) and Qatar (down 4.6 percent).
According to the March statistics, total arrivals for the first three months of the year increased by 17 percent to reach 420,103 compared to the 359,053 in the same period of last year.
Over the past five years, dozens of uninhabited islands have been leased to local and foreign resort developers. Several international brands have entered into the market, increasing the number of resorts to 120. That number is set to increase as the government has announced the opening of some 20 new resorts over the next two years.
Along with the new resort openings come the challenge of increasing demand from budget travellers who choose guesthouses over luxury resorts that the Maldives is known for. The guesthouse sector has rapidly expanded with over 450 guesthouses in operation today.
The government has recently announced new steps to maintain a structured growth in tourism, including a slowdown in leasing islands for resort development and increased marketing efforts in key markets such as China and the Middle East in order to reach an ambitious target of a record 1.5 million tourist arrivals this year.
Maldives on Thursday welcomed the one millionth tourist to visit this year.
The one millionth tourist is a Thai named Sutapa Amonwivat, who arrived from Singapore with her husband and two children. This is her second visit to Maldives.
Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) and the Ministry of Tourism gave a warm welcome to Sutapa at the Velana International Airport (VIA) Thursday afternoon. She was welcomed at the VIA by tourism minister Ibrahim Faisal, MMPRC Managing Director Ibrahim Shiury and senior officials of various relevant agencies.
After welcoming her with traditional offerings, she was presented with various gifts by the ministry, MMPRC, customs, immigration, Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) and Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA).
Maldives reached one million tourists in June, three weeks earlier than last year. The number of tourists reached one million on July 16, 2023.
Maldives expects to reach 2 million tourists this year.
Chongqing Airlines on Monday began its inaugural flights to Maldives.
The Chongqing-Male route, scheduled three times a week, is expected to strengthen the bonds between China and the Maldives, opening up exciting new opportunities for tourism and cultural exchange.
The inaugural flight was welcomed upon its arrival at Velana International Airport (VIA) in Maldives, where local officials and tourism representatives expressed their enthusiasm for this new development.
“We warmly welcome our friends from China to our beautiful islands. This new connection strengthens our bonds and opens up new opportunities for tourism,” the tourism ministry said on X.
Maldives currently welcomes four airlines from China, including China Eastern, Beijing Capital Airlines, Xiamen Airlines.
In January, Maldives government urged tourism stakeholders in both Maldives and China to ramp up efforts to restore China’s position as the primary source market for Maldives tourism, a status held before the onset of Covid-19.
China, being the largest source market for Maldives tourism before the pandemic, saw a resumption of tourist arrivals from January 2023 after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. In 2023, the Maldives welcomed 187,118 Chinese tourists, marking a significant recovery in numbers. This year, the Maldives has welcomed the most number of tourists from China, with over 107,940 or 11.5 percent of total arrivals by June 12.
CROSSROADS Maldives has introduced WeChat Pay, widely known as Weixin Pay in China, across its world-class resorts, SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton, and Hard Rock Hotel Maldives. This payment option is made available to enhance the convenience and overall experience for guests from China, making their stay in the Maldives more enjoyable and hassle-free.
Understanding the needs of the diverse guests, CROSSROADS Maldives has integrated WeChat Pay into operations, allowing guests from China to easily and securely conduct transactions using a payment method familiar to them. The introduction of WeChat Pay is a testament to CROSSROADS Maldives’ dedication to enhancing guest satisfaction by offering exceptional experiences at every turn. What is also expected through this initiative is that the guests could benefit from better foreign exchange rates, translating to better savings on their expenditures during their stay.
The option is available for guests in-house conveniently at both resorts as well as across the Marina at CROSSROADS Maldives where a wider variety of unparalleled dining and retail experiences are available for all guests. The day visitors from China will also therefore equally benefit from this new introduction at the Maldives’ premier multi-island integrated leisure destination.
SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton, is a vibrant tropical escape that offers unique and locally inspired experiences. The resort features spacious rooms and villas, a variety of dining options, and an array of recreational activities designed to cater to the desires of modern travellers. Guests can escape to the island’s SAiisational natural beauty, enjoy water sports, and indulge in spa treatments, all while relishing the personalised service that defines Hilton’s Curio Collection.
Hard Rock Hotel Maldives brings the iconic Hard Rock spirit to the tranquil shores of the Maldives. This family-friendly resort offers a perfect blend of relaxation and entertainment, featuring music-inspired experiences, live performances, and the brand’s signature amenities. With luxurious accommodations, diverse dining options, and a plethora of activities for all ages, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives ensures an unforgettable holiday experience for every guest.
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