Chongqing Airlines on Monday began its inaugural flights to Maldives.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe warmly welcome our friends from China to our beautiful islands. This new connection strengthens our bonds and opens up new opportunities for tourism,\u201d the tourism ministry said on X.<\/p>\n
Maldives currently welcomes four airlines from China, including China Eastern, Beijing Capital Airlines, Xiamen Airlines.<\/p>\n
In January, Maldives government urged tourism stakeholders in both Maldives and China to ramp up efforts to restore China\u2019s position as the primary source market for Maldives tourism, a status held before the onset of Covid-19.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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