China's Sichuan Airlines is preparing to launch flights to the Maldives.
Commencing on August 29, the airline will be operating three scheduled flights per week from Changdu, China, to Velana International Airport.
Before China closed its borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the country used to be the top source market for Maldives tourism. Since it re-opened its borders earlier this year, Chinese tourism has been steadily increasing, now ranking as the fourth-largest source market for the Maldives. According to data from the Tourism Ministry, as of July 12, a total of 77,202 tourists have already visited the Maldives this year.
The introduction of direct flights from Sichuan Airlines is expected to further boost tourism from China.
