National carrier Maldivian has opened a new office in Beijing and hosted a China Roadshow as part of its efforts to strengthen its presence in the Chinese market and support tourism growth between Maldives and China.
The airline said both events were held on October 26 and attended by government representatives and senior management. The initiatives are aimed at expanding commercial activities in China, strengthening industry partnerships and enhancing engagement with the travel trade.
According to Maldivian, the Beijing office will serve as a dedicated base for working more closely with travel agents, commercial partners, customers and other stakeholders in China.
Ibrahim Iyas, Managing Director of Maldivian, said, "China is one of the most important markets for the Maldives, and today marks an important step in our journey here. Opening our office in Beijing brings us closer to our partners and to the travellers we serve."
"With the strong support of the travel trade, we look forward to connecting more Chinese travellers with the Maldives, and to welcoming them with the warmth of Maldivian hospitality from the moment they step onboard," he added.
The roadshow was organized by Maldivian and MegaCap, the airline's General Sales Agent in China, with participation and support from Visit Maldives Corporation. The event brought together representatives from the tourism, travel, and aviation sectors and focused on promoting the Maldives as a destination while exploring opportunities in passenger and cargo services.
The Maldives' Ambassador to China, Dr. Fazeel Najeeb, attended the event as Chief Guest.
Ambassador Najeeb said, "The inauguration of Maldivian's Beijing Office is a milestone that reflects the achievements of Island Aviation Services and Maldivian. It is likely to tap further into the immense potential of Maldives-China tourism and aviation cooperation."
"With China remaining the Maldives' leading source market for tourist arrivals, stronger air connectivity is key to making deeper inroads to the world's largest consumer source of tourism that Chinese are. This office will further facilitate people-to-people connections, open new opportunities for broadening and elevating the Maldives' tourism sector, trade and deeper bilateral engagement."
The developments build on Maldivian's return to the Chinese market in January 2025 following the introduction of its first Airbus A330-200 wide-body aircraft. The airline resumed scheduled services to China on January 22, 2025, establishing direct links between the Maldives and major Chinese cities, including Beijing and Chengdu.
Maldivian said China remains the Maldives' largest tourism source market, recording 317,524 arrivals as of October 14 this year, accounting for about 19.2 percent of total tourist arrivals to the country.
The airline said the new office and its network of travel trade partners in China are expected to support its efforts to expand connectivity and strengthen tourism and trade links between Maldives and China.
