The Maldives has signed an agreement with the Russian government to increase the frequency of flights carrying tourists between the two nations.
Russia remains one of the top source markets for Maldivian tourism. In June alone, 163,638 tourists visited from Russia.
In a post on X, Tourism Minister Mohamed Ameen announced that an agreement was reached following discussions with Dmitry Zverev, State Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, to boost both flight frequencies and overall tourist arrivals from Russia.
"Both countries have agreed to further strengthen aviation ties. Under this agreement, it is expected that additional Russian airlines will commence operations to the Maldives," Ameen said.
Tourist arrivals from Russia had previously seen a decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine. However, arrival numbers have been steadily recovering since then.
The government’s efforts to bolster Russian tourism come at a time when the Maldives is facing economic challenges and a surge in the value of the US dollar.
