Male– The Maldives has received more than 905,000 tourists so far this year amid the ongoing Covid-19, according to data from the Tourism Ministry.
The tourist arrivals were 122.5 per cent higher than in last year as the Covid-19 pandemic led to prolonged border closures and restrictions on international travels in 2020, Xinhua news agency reported citing the Ministry data.
However, the 2021 arrivals are 29.9 per cent lower than the same period of 2019, it added.
Data showed top sources of tourist arrivals this year for the Asian country were India, Russia and Germany, accounting for 23 per cent, 19.4 per cent and 6.3 per cent of the total respectively.
They were followed by France, Kazakhstan, Spain, Ukraine, the UK and the US.
The country’s borders had been fully closed for three months last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic before they were reopened in July 2020.
The borders were closed for South Asian tourists due to a surge of Covid-19 cases in May 2021, but were reopened on July 15.
Tourism is the largest economic industry in the Maldives, as it plays an important role in earning foreign exchange revenues and employing thousands of citizens. (IANS)
