The peak tourism season has kicked off in the Maldives, but the island destination does not expect to see any cruise liners coming in until December.
Mohamed Nasheed, president of the Maldives Association of Yacht Agents (MAYA), told Sun on Saturday that the last cruise ship to visit the Maldives was back in April.
That was before the low season began.
The Maldives’s peak tourism season runs from around November to April, when rains give way to sunny days.
Nasheed said that the season’s first cruise ship will arrive in the Maldives in early December.
According to him, the Azamara Pursuit cruise ship will arrive in the island nation on December 3 carrying 1,140 tourists.
The second cruise ship, Oceania Sirena, will arrive on December 17 carrying another 1,175 tourists.
More are expected to follow.
But concerns persist over the lack of a dedicated harbor for cruise ships in the Maldivian capital.
Nasheed noted that there are only two locations in Male’ where the disembarkation of passengers from cruise ships are currently permitted – the No. 1 Jetty near the Republic Square and the one at the Fishermen’s Park – both of which are currently inaccessible.
“There hasn’t been any sort of arrangement yet on a location for passengers to disembark from cruise ships. We have serious concerns regarding this,” he said.
With the No. 1 Jetty currently closed due to road expansion work, boats from atolls are currently using the area near the Fishermen’s Park.
This has increased traffic in the area.
Tourism industry stakeholders have been expressing concern for years regarding lack of adequate facilities to improve the convenience of tourists who arrive in Male’ on cruise ships, including a dedicated yacht marina.