Maldives sends senior delegation to China as Chinese arrivals rise 19.8 percent

A senior Maldivian delegation has left for China on an official visit to expand the country's tourism in its most important source market.

The trip runs from the 1st to the 11th of the month. It brings together senior officials from the government and from state-linked companies in the tourism industry, according to the Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC).

The delegation is led by State Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Haaris Mohamed and VMC Managing Director Ibrahim Shiuree. Visit Maldives Corporation, Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) and the national airline Maldivian are taking part, along with leading tourism industry associations.

The delegation will visit three Chinese cities. These are the capital Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu.

During the trip, the delegation is scheduled to meet Chinese government officials, airlines, tour operators, travel agents, and travel technology companies. The cities will also host special networking events to promote Maldives tourism.

VMC said the visit is part of the government's wider effort to grow tourism despite challenges facing international travel and the aviation sector linked to the current situation in the Middle East. The corporation said the aim is to strengthen ties with key source markets and to secure smoother routes for tourists to reach the Maldives.

VMC said it would work through the trip to maintain confidence in Maldives tourism and to achieve sustainable growth.

The visit comes as Chinese arrivals continue to climb. According to Ministry of Tourism figures, more than 168,677 tourists from China have visited the Maldives so far this year. This is a 19.8 percent increase compared with the same period last year.

China has been one of the largest source markets for Maldives tourism for several years.