Vistara has announced plans to begin operations to the Maldives.

From March 3, the Indian full-service airline will fly three times a week between Mumbai and Male, with direct flights operating on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The round-trip all-inclusive fares for Mumbai-Male-Mumbai start at INR 17,699 ($243) and round-trip all-inclusive fares for Male-Mumbai-Male start at MVR 3,499 ($227).

Bookings for the flights are now open on all channels including the airline’s website, its iOS and Android mobile apps, through Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) and travel agents.

The carrier, a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, commenced operations on January 9, 2015 with its inaugural flight between Delhi and Mumbai.

The airline serves more than 34 destinations with a fleet of Airbus A320, Airbus A321neo, Boeing 787-9 and Boeing 737-800NG aircraft.

Vistara joins a growing list of Indian airlines starting flight operations to the Maldives. Air India, IndiGo and GoAir now offer scheduled passenger services between several major Indian cities and Male.

In August, officials from the Maldives and India inked an agreement to create a “travel bubble” to facilitate movement of people between the two countries.

In 2020, India was ranked the top source market for tourism. Currently, India ranks second for the year 2021.

The Maldives reopened for tourists of all nationalities on July 15.

The stringent health and safety measures in place, and the naturally distanced nature of the Maldivian islands ensure safety for all tourists.

Maldives is also rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine. This is expected to increase the confidence travellers have in the Maldives, and further increase tourist arrivals from India.