China Southern Airlines is expected to launch direct flights to the Maldives from February 2023.
Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) said the airline is scheduled to operate its flights from Guangzhou to Velana International Airport (VIA). The airline’s first flight is scheduled on February 20.
Southern Airlines flights from Guangzhou, China, to Maldives will carry 280 passengers.
The airline will operate three weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
After a three year hiatus, China resumed flights to Maldives on January 18 this year. Beijing Capital and China Eastern currently have flights scheduled to Maldives.
Less than a week after China recommenced tourist arrivals, the country has entered the top 10 source markets for the Maldives. China is currently ranked seventh on the top 10 tourist arrivals chart.
In 2019, the Ministry of Tourism reported over 280,000 Chinese arrivals which were 17 percent of the total arrivals that year.
The most recent statistics from the ministry reveal 5,300 Chinese arrivals so far in 2023.
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