Ministry of Tourism reveled that the number of tourist arrivals to Maldives decreased by 67 percent in 2020, amid the restrictions and challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Per the ministry’s statistics, only 555,213 tourists visited the country last year, compared to the record high of 1.7 million in 2019.
The Economic Report published by Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) noted that in addition to decrease in arrivals, the number of tourist bed nights also dropped by 63 percent last year compared to 2019.
However, the report stated that the average number of days tourists spent in Maldives increased to 18.5 percent in 2020.
Arrivals dropped after the entire tourism industry, which is the economic backbone of Maldives, screeched to a halt due to lockdowns, local and international travel restrictions and preventive measures taken to curb the spread of COVID-19. Borders were closed and international travel restrictions were in place spanning over a period of nearly four months in 2020.
The Maldivian borders reopened on July 15, 2020 with just four airlines. Six months after the border reopening, the situation in travel almost reverted back to the figures recorded before the border closure.
With renewed hope, the government expects to attract over 1.5 million tourists in 2021. Minister of Tourism Dr Abdulla Mausoom, on several occasions, stated that this year would be a "very successful" year for Maldivian tourism.
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