Maldives warmly welcomed the first tourist of 2020 on Wednesday.

The Bahrain couple, Mohamed Gasim and his wife Sarah Hesham Ali were surprised by the warm welcome given to them by Velana International Airport (VIA).

Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed and Managing Director of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) Thoyyib Mohamed received the couple at VIA.

Moreover, Furaveri Island Resort and Spa gifted an all-expenses-paid holiday to the couple as well.

Gasim described Maldives as a destination that stood out against others in every way, adding that the welcome was a pleasant surprise and a great way for Maldive to strengthen the bond with tourists.

Although this is Gasim's first visit to the country, his wife had previously vacationed in the archipelago before.

Speaking at the airport following the arrival of the first tourist in 2020, MD Thoyyib stated that this year will reap the benefits of 2019's efforts to propel the tourism industry forward/

Noting that Bahrain was an important market to Maldivian tourism, he stated that tourists from Bahrain were less compared to most countries, but they always spend generously on their vacation.

According to Thoyyib, many events are planned for the future to attract more tourists from the Arab country.

"During this month, we will launch a supplement with Vogue Arabia. From that point on, efforts are underway to increase tourist arrivals from the [Arab] region".

In addition to Arab countries, Thoyyib stated that promotional events will be held in Russia as well. High-level delegations will represent the island nation under the theme of "Visit Maldives", he said.