The Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid has stated the island nation’s aim is to increase tourist arrivals from China to a million on annual terms by 2023.
Following the first official trip to China last week, the Maldives Foreign Minister had met his Chinese counterpart Mr Wan Yi. Post their meeting, Mr Shahid had spoken with the state media PSM detailing that the two foreign ministers discussed on increasing flight movements between the two nations.
According to Mr Shahid the island nation’s national airline Maldivian will be getting opportunity on increasing their flight movements to China following the official opening of Beijing’s new airport in the coming month.
This move by Maldives state is to increase the number of tourist arrivals from the Asian giant.
The Maldives Foreign Minister had further noted that Chinese travelers can conveniently visit the island nation, and he had spoken with his Chinese counterpart to allow a reciprocating effect vise versa, granting more convenience for Maldivian travelers to visit China.
According to Mr Shahid, Chinese government has almost completed necessary research in order push for convenience in making visas for Maldivians to travel to the Asian giant.
China dominates the Maldivian tourist market with the greatest number of holidaymakers visiting the island nation on annual terms, each year. Although, the arrival rate from China had seen a recessing trend during the past two years it has since shifted towards a more positive trend.
The country remains unrivaled as the greatest contributor to Maldivian tourism with regards to tourist arrivals and an increase in flights between the two countries could greatly improve the tourist arrivals as well.
The meeting between the two foreign ministers had been fruitful as Mr Shahid assured China will continue to be one of the greatest allies of Maldives and will continue in their efforts to provide assistance and aid in any manner possible.