Two cruise ships carrying 1,250 visitors each docked in Addu City, Maldives, on Monday. Following a stoppage of operations due to the COVID-19 outbreak, this represents a revival of cruise tourism in the Maldives. The Artania and Coral Expedition are the most recent cruise ships to arrive during the busiest travel season. 50 tourists were delivered by the Coral Expedition, whereas 1,200 were transported by the Artania. The tourists were cordially welcomed by the Addu City Council when they arrived.

Cruise ships frequently visited the Maldives before the outbreak, and this pattern is anticipated to continue. Nine cruise ships are anticipated to visit the Maldives this year, delivering about 12,000 tourists, according to the Maldives Association of Yacht Agency (MAYA). These cruise ships will call at the ports of Haa Alif Atoll, Addu City, and Male’ City.

Cruise liners are a primary emphasis for the Maldivian tourism and economic sectors, according to Tourism Minister Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, particularly because they can be advantageous for enterprises in and around Male, the capital city. The tourism minister added that since most cruise ship passengers have already made plans to spend money aboard the cruise ship, they rarely spend the night at resorts or hotels. The MS Costa Deliziosa, which can accommodate 2,826 guests and is due to arrive in the Maldives next month, is the largest of the nine cruise ships that are expected to dock there.