Maldives (Commonwealth Union)_ Maldives marked a significant milestone as it welcomed its one millionth tourist of the year. On Sunday, the government achieved this remarkable goal following the visit of a Russian national living in the United Kingdom, who is currently enjoying a vacation in the Maldives with his wife and toddler. Anton Pavlov, who traveled on British Airways, received a warm welcome upon arrival at Velana International Airport (VIA).
The Pavlov family is enjoying their holiday at Vakkaru Resort in Baa Atoll and has planned to stay for a week in the Maldives. Expressing his delight, Pavlov mentioned that it was his first time visiting the Maldives and expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality extended to him. The Ministry of Tourism shared that India is currently the top tourist market for the Maldives this year. Further, the country aims to reach a total of 1.9 million tourist arrivals by the end of the year.
To mark this milestone, Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, Managing Director of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) Thoyyib Mohamed, and senior personnel from Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) and Maldives Immigration participated in a ceremony at Velana International Airport (VIA) to welcome the millionth tourist of the year. During the event, the immigration department awarded the Pavlov family the bronze ‘Aida’ tier of the world’s first destination loyalty program, the Maldives Border Miles. The family was also showered with additional gifts as part of the celebration.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Tourism Minister Mausoom announced that this achievement has pushed the Maldives closer to its tourist arrivals target for 2023. Similarly, MMPRC’s Managing Director Thoyyib stated that reaching this milestone far exceeded their initial expectations. Earlier, President Solih, in his presidential address to the People’s Majlis on February 6, 2023, expressed the goal of welcoming 3.5 million tourists annually to the Maldives by 2028. This year marks the 50th anniversary since the introduction of tourism in the Maldives, attracting enthusiastic travelers with its breathtaking beauty over the years.
