COLOMBO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Maldives has recorded the highest number of tourist arrivals in a single year in 2024, PSM News, the official State Media of the Maldives, said on Wednesday.
The PSM said that by Dec. 23, the country welcomed 1.97 million visitors, a 9-percent increase over the total arrivals in 2023.
This number exceeds the previous record set in 2023, the PSM said, adding that the country had set a goal of attracting 2 million tourists in 2024.
The PSM said that they expect to achieve that target by Dec. 26.
To promote and diversify the tourism sector in the coming years, the national carrier, Maldivian, is scheduled to commence international flights using wide-body aircraft in January 2025, the PSM said.
The inaugural flights will be to Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu in China, with plans to expand operations to various European countries, the PSM said.
Over the past 12 years, the Maldives has experienced steady growth in tourist arrivals, it added. ■