The Chinese tourist market has secured a spot among the top 10 tourist markets of Maldives in less than a week.

The first direct flight from China, after nearly three years, arrived in Maldives on 18 January, 2023.

The first flight was from Beijing Daxing International Airport. The flight JD455, touched down at Velana International Airport with 198 tourists.

Ministry of Tourism disclosed that China is now in the ninth place of the top 10 tourism markets of Maldives.

Statistics of Tourism Ministry shows that Maldives have welcomed 2,239 tourists from China within four days.

Before the tourist arrivals from the Chinese market was brought to a halt because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Maldives welcomed a total of 284،029 Chinese tourist in 2019.

Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom has earlier stated that the Chinese tourist market needs to be returned to its previous position as the number one tourist market of Maldives.

Highlighting that the arrivals from China are expected to see an increase of 700 percent once Chinese tourists start travelling to Maldives again, Minister Mausoom noted that it is estimated that Maldives will see 100,000 tourist arrivals from China, this year.

According to the statistics publicized by the Tourism Ministry, Russia has topped the source market for the country by 21 January, 2023. As such Maldives has so far welcomed 16,974 tourists from Russia.

Second comes Italy, with 11,764 tourist arrivals. Following close by in third place is India with 11,163 arrivals recorded so far.

Other countries in the list are; United Kingdom with 9,509 arrivals, Germany with 6,731 arrivals, U.S.A. with 5,455 arrivals, France with 4,064 arrivals, Kazakhstan with 2,354 arrivals and South Korea with 2,137 arrivals.

Maldives has so far in the year welcomed 115,177 tourists to the country.