Over 18,000 Maldivians travelled to Thailand in 2016 having spent over a thousand dollars on average during every trip, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports has said.

Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul told the press in Thailand after having returned from a meeting with Maldivian Tourism Minister Moosa Zameer, that the two countries are expanding their ties in medical tourism.

“They also want to exchange and learn from Thailand's tourism successes” she told the Bangkok Post.

Statistics from the Thai tourism ministry revealed that a total of 18,470 Maldivian travelled to Thailand, having spent an average of USD 1,280 per trip. The government has estimated that over 20,000 Maldivians would visit the country this year.

Thailand is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Asia, having amassed 32.6 million tourist arrivals just last year.

Thailand had garnered over USD 74 billion from the tourism industry and expects to garner more this year.