The Maldives anticipates a 40% increase in Chinese tourists in 2023, aiming to return to pre-pandemic levels through new bilateral agreements and targeted marketing strategies.
The Maldives is poised for a significant resurgence in tourism, particularly from Chinese visitors, according to recent statements by Fathmath Thaufeeq, Managing Director of the Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corp (MMPRC). In an exclusive dialogue with China’s Global Times, Thaufeeq expressed confidence that Chinese tourist numbers could return to pre-pandemic levels this year, marking an anticipated 40% uptick from the previous year.
This optimism stems partly from new bilateral agreements with China, aimed at rejuvenating the flow of tourists. Historically, China was the largest market for the Maldives’ tourism sector before 2019. However, the subsequent drop in Chinese travelers caused the Maldives to fall to the third-largest source market. The dramatic decrease was evident in 2022, with only 12,764 Chinese tourists visiting, a stark contrast to the previous year’s figures. Nevertheless, the trend reversed in January 2023, following the resumption of direct flights from China, leading to a remarkable increase in visitors.
In 2023 alone, the Maldives welcomed over 172,163 Chinese tourists, significantly boosting its ranking from 27th to the third-largest source market once again. To maintain and enhance this momentum, the Maldives has initiated various strategies tailored to the Chinese market, including marketing activities in Chinese on popular platforms like Weibo and WeChat and active participation in major travel trade events in China. These efforts are complemented by strong partnerships with Chinese tour operators and travel agents.
The recent five-day visit of Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu to China further solidified these efforts, resulting in new agreements across different sectors. Among these, discussions about increasing direct flights from various regions in China were particularly notable, underscoring China’s strategic importance to the Maldives’ tourism sector.
Thaufeeq remains hopeful about achieving pre-pandemic tourism numbers, with a further 40% increase in Chinese arrivals expected. President Muizzu also echoed this sentiment during his address at the Invest Maldives Forum in Fuzhou, China, urging stakeholders in both countries to work collaboratively to re-establish China as the leading source market for Maldives tourism.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
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