The national airline, Maldivian, is preparing to launch direct flights between the Maldives and Australia. This marks the inaugural direct air link between the two nations. Maldivian will operate these direct flights in collaboration with ‘Luxury Escapes,’ a leading travel company in Australia. The flights will originate from Melbourne, Australia. Maldivian has stated that this is a truly historic milestone for both the national airline and the Republic of Maldives, expected to further strengthen the relationship between Australia and the Maldives.
These flights will operate on a seasonal basis, with services scheduled to commence on May 17th of this year. Maldivian announced that these flights are scheduled to operate once a week.
Maldivian further stated that these flights have been strategically scheduled to seamlessly connect with Maldivian’s extensive domestic network across the archipelago. This will allow passengers to fully benefit from Maldivian’s domestic flight and seaplane services, facilitating easy travel to various parts of the Maldives. Commenting on this development, Maldivian Managing Director, Mr. Ibrahim Iyas, highlighted that Australia represents a crucial market for Maldivian tourism, expressing optimism that these new flights will significantly increase the number of tourists arriving in the Maldives.
The decision to launch Maldivian’s flights to Australia comes at a time when the number of Australian tourists visiting the Maldives is on the rise. As of May 16th, 40,490 tourists from Australia have visited the Maldives this year. This figure represents a significant 13% increase compared to the 35,818 Australian tourists who visited the Maldives by the end of the previous year. With this notable increase in Australian tourist arrivals, Australia has now secured a place among the top 10 source markets for Maldivian tourism.
