Author: Mohamed Reehaan

Maldives has welcomed 1.3 millionth tourist visitor for the current year of 2021, despite Covid-19 challenges and the new Omicron variant led setbacks across the globe. Moreover, the premier tourist promoter of the Maldives; Visit Maldives had confirmed that the island nation achieved the feat on Monday, 27th December. As part of the reception of the 1.3 millionth traveler to the Maldives a special ceremony was held at Velana International Airport (VIA) on Sunday. Meanwhile, the traveler has been confirmed to be a Romanian national named, Constantin Stelian Emil who traveled to the Maldives via GullivAir. The traveler was welcomed…

As per the announcement made earlier in December, Russia’s leisure airline Nordwind has launched their direct flight operations to the Maldives amid the winter season. Moreover, the airline’s direct flight operations coincide with the tourism peak season in the island nation. The airline has started its operations to the Maldives in association with the local tour operator Resort Life while their maiden voyage to the island nation made landing at the Velana International Airport tarmac on Sunday, 26th December 2021. According to the airline, they will operate between Russia’s St. Petersburg and Maldives capital Male’ City with weekly flights scheduled…

Bank of Maldives (BML) has announced that the bank’s branches and service centers will be closed on 30th December 2021, Thursday owing to the year-end auditing. Moreover, the national bank of the island nation confirms that the bank’s branches and centers will reopen on 2nd January 2022, Sunday of the next week. Although the bank branches and crucial service centers will be closed on coming Thursday, customers can still continue to acquire BML banking services through self-service ATM, internet and mobile banking options. In addition to this, the bank will also be available for customer support through their Contact Center…

Zeldiva Luxury has won the coveted top spot in the International Travel Awards 2021 under the “Best Destination Management Company in the Maldives 2021” title. Moreover, a spokesperson for Zeldiva Luxury said regarding their latest win, “we are delighted to win this prestigious award. Zeldiva Luxury is committed to providing every traveler with a unique and special experience during their stay in the Maldives.” “Our meticulous approach to planning and trip organization ensures our clients enjoy the very best accommodation, dining, and vacation experiences that the Maldives has to offer,” the spokesperson further added. A subsidiary of Zeldiva Travels, the…

The governments of Maldives and Bangladesh have signed on the double tax avoidance (DTA) agreement on 23rd December 2021. Moreover, the agreement is aimed towards curbing the taxes levied twice on the same income from transactions between the businesses in both Maldives and Bangladesh. Furthermore, the agreement ensures the preservation of the rights of the taxpayers in both nations as well as restrict possible tax evasion attempts. The DTA agreement was signed by the Commissioner General of Taxation of Maldives Mr. Fathuhulla Jameel and the Chairman of the National Board of Revenue of Bangladesh and Senior Secretary of the Internal…

The latest updates from Ministry of Tourism confirm that the total number of tourist arrivals to the Maldives has crossed over 1.2 million as of 22nd December 2021. Moreover, as per the state body by the review period the total number of tourist arrivals has reached exactly to 1,271,020 on annual terms. Furthermore, tourist arrivals exclusively from 01st until 22nd December stood at 113,367 indicating a growth of 79.8% compared to the same period in 2020 during which the arrival count stood at 63,053. However, the tourist arrivals in the review month is still 2.2% below pre-pandemic levels in 2019…

The latest update from Ministry of Finance confirms the year-to-date total of state expenditure has reached MVR31,176.7 million (MVR31.2 billion). Meanwhile, earnings to the state remain comparatively sluggish while the cumulative total of state revenues inclusive of grants as of 16th December 2021 reached MVR18,486.0 million (MVR18.5 billion). According to the latest Weekly Fiscal Development report the state has spent 70% of its total budget on recurrent needs and the remaining 30% on capital expenses. On the other hand, 71% of the total earnings to the state have been through tax-sources and the remaining 29% from non-tax sources. Moreover, budget…

Thai AirAsia recommences their direct flight operations to the Maldives following the Covid-19 lead hiatus. Following the recommencement of Tha AirAsia’s flights to the island nation, the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) had facilitated a warm welcoming ceremony for the first flight since the hiatus. The AirAsia flights from Thailand will operate between Bangkok-Don Mueang airport and Velana International Airport, Male’ City. Meanwhile, the airline will operate two weekly flights with arrivals at VIA on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Thai AirAsia is a joint venture of Malaysia’s low-fare airline AirAsia and Thailand’s Asia Aviation.

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has instructed all government offices to use the “Golden Year of Tourism 2022” logo in all official correspondences next year; effective from 01st January 2022. The “Golden Year of Tourism 2022” logo is used to commemorate the golden jubilee of the country’s tourism industry as it reaches 50 years since inception. Maldives tourism industry officially began in 1972 with the debut of Kurumba Maldives, the very first tourist resort in the island nation. With nearly five decades since the tourism industry began in the country, Maldives currently boasts more than 150 operational tourist resorts across…

Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) has signed an agreement with Maldives National University (MNU) to establish a Maritime Survival Center. Moreover, the agreement was signed between MTCC Chief Executive Officer Adam Azim and Dr. Mohamed Shareef, the Vice Chancellor of the national university. According to the agreement, the scope of work includes 1,200 cubic meters of land filling operations along with the construction of a 35-meter sheet pile quay wall and a 27.25-meter L-section quay wall. In addition to this, the project involves development of a 4.2×4-meter ramp and the installation of mooring bollards. The value of the development…