MALDIVES’ inbound numbers in March declined for the second consecutive month, but the travel trade anticipates a recovery from mid-year onward.
“We are expecting more traffic from China from mid-June. Mega Maldives is also launching two more flights to different cities in China from June, which we were told are based on increased interest,” said Shafraz Fazley, managing director, Viluxur Holidays.
He added that the airline had been organising roadshows in China in collaboration with the Maldives’ NTO.
Mega Maldives, the country’s only international carrier, suspended regular charters to Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Hong Kong following the unrest in February, but resumed flights on April 4. At press time, airline officials were not contactable for details on new destinations in China.
Arrivals from China, Maldives’ biggest source market, fell 28.4 per cent year-on-year to 6,417 in March following a 34.8 per cent dip in February.
Total arrivals in March dropped 5.3 per cent to 76,469 and all major source markets recorded a drop in arrival except for Western Europe, which grew 5.4 per cent. This was largely due to Germany rising 14.9 per cent to 10,232. Arrivals from the UK and France, the other two top markets, fell by 13 per cent and 8.9 per cent, respectively.
Despite the unrest, Maldives’ total arrivals from January through March this year reached 255,867, a gain of 3.3 per cent over the same period in 2011. The country is targeting one million tourist arrivals this year.
