MidEast travellers flock to the Maldives

The number of Middle East tourists travelling to the Maldives has jumped by more than three quarters this year, according to a report by the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation. Arab arrivals to the tropical hotspot were up by 77.8 percent in the first quarter of 2012 compared with the same period last year, following the opening of several new hotels in the region, the report said. It noted ‘exceptional growth’ in tourists from Saudi Arabia. Visitors from markets such as Germany and Switzerland also increased, which the report attributed to improved economic conditions and a rise in the number of flight options.Arrivals from Germany were up 20.4 percent year-on-year for the first quarter, while visitors from Switzerland rose by almost a quarter. However, arrivals from other high-volume markets, such as the UK and China, dropped significantly, the report said. Visitors from the UK - the Maldives’ second largest market, slumped 12 percent in the three month period, while declines were also seen for Italy, France, Finland and Sweden. Growth in Chinese visits - the country’s biggest market last year - meanwhile slowed to a trickle. The Indian market also saw its growth hampered by the lack of flight connections, as many Indian carriers struggle to stay afloat.