Qatar Airways is set to resume flights to the Maldives next week after a temporary suspension linked to regional conflict in the Middle East.

Mohamed Firaq, CEO of Ace Travels, the airline’s general sales agent (GSA) said services will restart on 8 April, operating five times a week using Airbus A350 aircraft.

He said the resumption would provide a boost to the tourism sector, which has been affected by the disruption to regional air travel, and help restore access for travellers from key international markets.

The disruption followed the US-Israeli military action against Iran on 28 February, which led to the closure of parts of Middle Eastern airspace and widespread flight cancellations across the region.

With around 30 percent of tourists to the Maldives transiting through Middle Eastern hubs, the impact has been significant.

Tourism Minister Thoriq Ibrahim said 496 flights to the Maldives have been cancelled so far due to the conflict.

Speaking at a press conference, the minister said average daily tourist arrivals have dropped by around 1,150 visitors as a result.

He added that increasing flight frequencies and securing new airline partnerships are now a priority. Discussions are ongoing with Ethiopian Airlines to launch new services.

“We are in discussions with airlines to increase frequencies and bring in carriers from more countries,” he said.

More than 600,000 tourists have visited the Maldives so far this year, including 143,000 arrivals this month, a figure down 18 percent compared with the same period last year.