A high-level Maldivian delegation has held a series of important meetings in Beijing aimed at further increasing the number of Chinese tourists visiting the Maldives and strengthening tourism partnerships between the two countries.
The delegation, currently on a ten-day official visit to China, comprises senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC), Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), the national airline Maldivian, and leading tourism industry associations. The delegation is led by Minister of State for Tourism and Civil Aviation Haris Mohamed and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Visit Maldives Corporation, Ibrahim Shiuree.
As part of the visit, the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation organised a major networking event that brought together representatives from Chinese airlines, tour operators, travel agencies and other key stakeholders in the tourism industry.
Addressing the gathering, State Minister Haris Mohamed highlighted the Maldives' diverse tourism offerings, showcasing not only its world-renowned luxury resorts but also boutique guesthouses, diving experiences, wellness tourism, cultural attractions and family-friendly holidays. He emphasised the Maldives' commitment to providing high-quality travel experiences while strengthening its position as one of the world's leading island destinations.
The meetings provided an important platform to reinforce long-standing partnerships while creating new opportunities for cooperation between Maldivian tourism operators and the Chinese travel trade. Discussions also focused on expanding air connectivity, strengthening business collaboration and encouraging greater visitor arrivals from China.
During the visit, the delegation also met with Cross Horizons, a marketing and cultural exchange consultancy that connects international destinations with China's travel industry. Talks centred on launching new promotional campaigns and expanding collaboration to bring the Maldives closer to Chinese travellers and industry partners, while increasing the destination's visibility across the Chinese market.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, China continues to be the Maldives' largest tourism source market. By the end of June, 168,677 Chinese tourists had visited the Maldives this year, representing a 19.8 percent increase compared with the same period last year.
The Government says the ongoing visit reflects its continued commitment to working closely with Chinese tourism partners to strengthen market confidence, expand promotional efforts and sustain the strong growth of the Maldives' tourism industry.
