SATA Air Açores to Start Direct Flights to the Maldives

Portugal’s SATA Air Açores will start direct flights to the Maldives from July 2021 onwards. Local media Avas reports that these charter flights will be organized by the airline’s Maldives agent, Inner Maldives.

According to Avas, a team from Portugal including businessmen, investors, government officials and media personnel will arrive in the Maldives on 20th May to designate the commencement of the operations. Furthermore, a special ‘Portugal Night’ is set to be held.

SATA Air Açores is a Portuguese airline based in São Sebastião, Ponta Delgada in the Azores, Portugal. The airline operates scheduled passenger, cargo and mail services around the Azores. Additionally, SATA air manages four regional airports.

Currently, 29 airlines are operating flights to the Maldives from all over the world. Flyers have the option to choose from budget airlines operating regular flights to the Maldives as well. Recently, the flag carrier of Spain, Iberia has also announced to start operations to the Maldives in July 2021.

After reopening its border back in July 2020, the Maldives stepped ahead in the global tourism industry. The country was bestowed the prestigious World’s Leading Destination Award 2020 from World Travel Awards. Moreover, Maldives reached its goal to welcome more than 500,000 visitors in 2020 (a total of 555,494 arrivals recorded).

Also read: Choosing a Villa in the Maldives: Beach, Overwater or Underwater?

For 2021, the island archipelago targets to welcome 1.5 million tourists. According to the latest statistics from the Maldives’ Ministry of tourism, 373,046 tourists arrived in the Maldives by 24th April 2021. Likewise, the average number of daily arrivals is 3,272. The ministry also revealed that tourists spent an average of 9 days in the Maldives.

The Tourism Minister of the Maldives, Dr. Abdulla Mausoom announced plans to launch a ‘visit, vaccinate, vacation’ initiative. Likewise, tourism ministry revealed tourists will spend over 10 million bed nights in the Maldives this year.

Feature image via www.essential-business.pt

In a strategic move to enhance the Maldives’ economic landscape, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu recently held a series of high-level meetings with prominent Malaysian business leaders during his official visit to Malaysia. These discussions, aimed at fostering greater bilateral cooperation, focused on key areas such as tourism, healthcare, education, and infrastructure development.

A key engagement was a meeting with Tan Sri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah, Founder and Chairman of the Sunway Group, one of Malaysia’s leading conglomerates. During the talks, they explored potential collaborations in tourism, education, and healthcare, with Dr. Muizzu emphasizing the Maldives’ growing appeal as an investment destination. Furthermore, the Sunway delegation showed strong interest in the Maldives’ robust investment climate, particularly in areas supported by the recently enacted Foreign Investment Act.

Additionally, the President met with Vincent Tan Chee Yioun, the founder of Berjaya Corporation Berhad, where they discussed expanding Berjaya’s footprint in the Maldives, particularly in the tourism sector. Notably, the Maldives’ well-established tourism industry, along with its strategic location, stood out as a key area for future collaboration. Moreover, the talks covered developments in infrastructure, focusing on the nation’s ongoing efforts to strengthen air connectivity and create a more conducive environment for foreign investors.

These interactions, in turn, form part of the Maldives’ broader strategy to attract sustainable investments and open new avenues for economic growth. With a renewed focus on eco-tourism, renewable energy, and digital transformation, the President’s meetings signal the nation’s readiness to welcome global partners.

As President Dr. Muizzu wrapped up his engagements, both the Maldivian and Malaysian business leaders expressed optimism about future collaborations, thus highlighting the Maldives’ potential as a thriving hub for investment in the Indian Ocean region.

SATA Air Açores to Start Direct Flights to the Maldives

Also read: Choosing a Villa in the Maldives: Beach, Overwater or Underwater?

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