The Maldives has celebrated the arrival of its millionth tourist of the year with a special ceremony at Velana International Airport (VIA). Sutapa Amornvivat from Thailand, the millionth visitor, arrived on Air Asia flight FD 174 and was greeted by senior officials from the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), the Ministry of Tourism, Maldives Immigration, and Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).
Sutapa, accompanied by her family, is on her third visit to the Maldives and will be spending her holiday at Niyama Maldives. During the welcoming ceremony, she received a special gift of a 5-night stay at Siyam World Resort.
Speaking to the press after the ceremony, Minister of Tourism Ibrahim Faisal highlighted that reaching the milestone of one million tourist arrivals within the first half of the year underscores the enduring allure of the Maldives and the unwavering dedication of tourism industry stakeholders. He noted that this achievement marks the first time in seven years that the country has welcomed the millionth tourist this early in the year.
Minister Faisal also emphasised that the ministry and industry stakeholders are diligently working towards the target of 2 million tourist arrivals by the end of the year. He stated that the administration is committed to developing tourism across all areas of the country, ensuring this mindset is reflected in their promotional efforts.
The Managing Director of MMPRC Ibrahim Shiuree noted that this year's millionth tourist arrived three weeks earlier than the previous year, signifying significant progress towards the 2 million arrivals target. Shiuree also mentioned that MMPRC is consistently striving to enhance the Maldives' travel industry and maintain its status as a dream destination for tourists worldwide.
Throughout the year, MMPRC has been actively involved in marketing and promoting the Maldives. The corporation has participated in key marketing fairs and campaigns, particularly targeting the top five markets: China, Russia, the U.K., Italy, and Germany.