Bandos Maldives Kicks Off Festive Celebrations
Since border reopening, Maldives main airport has witnessed the busiest days with the most amount of traffic and passengers arriving in the country on 26th-27th December. This #SuperSunday, Velana International Airport has welcomed a record of over 6,000 tourists on a single day since the border reopening.
Maldives tourism continues to grow with the season with 542,287 tourist arrivals as of 27th December 2020. The destination has welcomed a total of 159,440 tourists since border reopening.
On 26th December itself, Velana International Airport handled 91 flight landings that included 23 international flights, 38 domestic flights, 4 cargo flights and 26 private jet landings. Maldives Airports Company Limited was well equipped and ready to attend to all operational requirements to deliver smoother operations at Velana International Airport.
Since border reopening from 15th July, Russia remains as the top market with 29,788 tourists followed by India with 26,100 tourists. United Kingdom has jumped to third position with 18,685 with USA at number fourth with 8,026. Other top source markets after the border reopening includes Germany, United Arab Emirates, France, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Brazil.
As of 27th December 2020, Maldives has 510 tourist facilities operational with 40, 935 beds. This is with 140 resorts/marinas accumulating to 32,532 beds followed by 229 guesthouses with 4,424 beds, 130 safari vessels with 2,521 beds and 11 hotels with 1,458 beds.
Guesthouses are operational at 36 islands in 10 atolls: Haa Alif, Noonu, Baa, Kaafu, Alifu Alifu, Alifu Dhaalu, Vaavu, Gaaf Dhaalu, Gnaviyani and Seenu.
Maldives reopened borders to all nationalities from 15th July 2020. All visitors are granted a 30-day free on-arrival visa with a confirmed booking for a stay at any registered tourist facility in the country.
With Condor airlines resuming services, there are 22 airlines currently operating to Maldives.
Maldives has also extended ‘Split Stay’ for all types of tourist accommodation facilities, allowing tourists to split their stay between resort, hotels, guesthouses and liveaboard boats, with prior approval as per split-stay procedure and guideline by the Ministry of Tourism.
While there is no mandatory quarantine or testing on arrival, tourists traveling to Maldives are required to complete an online health declaration form and provide a negative PCR test result taken at least 96 hours prior to their departure.
The negative PCR test result must be attached while completing Traveler Health Declaration form, which has to be submitted online via IMUGA (www.imuga.immigration.gov.mv), by all arriving passengers before arrival (but not exceeding 24 hours before arrival time).
