Batik Air, a Malaysian budget airline, has commenced operations to the Maldives.

The first flight from Batik Air landed at Velana International Airport at 8:30 pm Friday, and was greeted with a water salute.

The flight carried 57 passengers.

The airline will have daily scheduled flights between Maldives and Malaysia with a transit stop at Sri Lanka. Direct flights are scheduled to begin in June of this year.

After rebranding Malindo Air to Batik Air, the airline has begun multiple promotions for a multitude of destinations.

Batik Air will use Boeing 737 aircraft for Maldives’ operations with a capacity of 180 passengers.

Batik Air hold operations in 50 destinations including Malaysia, Thailand, and Australia. This makes it easier for passengers to come to Maldives from these destinations.

It is estimated that tourist arrivals will increase along with these flights.

Source(s): sun.mv

The Maldives’ stand has won the award for ‘Best Stand Feature’ at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023.

The Maldives’ stand won the award competing with several major destinations.

The award was presented on Wednesday.

The selection was made through an anonymous judging panel visiting the stands, with the award given to the stand with the most unique features and the most engaging experience for visitors.

Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) described the award as “a testament to the countless hours of work dedicated to curating the Maldives’ stand as the most attractive, vibrant, and energetic stand at the fair.”

Maldives was showcased at ATM 2023 with a double-decker stand, in a space spanning over 429 square meters at the Dubai World Trade Center, providing visitors with a glimpse into the breathtaking Sunny Side of Life.

Every aspect of the stand was thoughtfully curated to showcase the diversity and beauty of Maldivian as a destination, inspired by the geographically scattered islands of the Maldives.

The vibrant and colorful stand consists of 90 co-exhibitor counters along with 53 B2B meeting tables, and is full of exciting experiences for visitors.

The Maldives’ stand featured high engagement with fun quizzes, LED screens showcasing breathtaking sights from the Maldives, and a 360-video booth, where visitors could take videos of themselves. Visitors also received gift bags.

Arabian Travel Market is the leading global event for the inbound and outbound travel industry in the Middle East.

MMPRC joined ATM this year with the largest Maldivian delegation to attend the fair thus far; with over 200 partners representing 90 travel and tourism establishments.

Source(s): sun.mv

Cambodia has begun issuing 30-day on-arrival visa to Maldivian travelers on Thursday.

Foreign Ministry said the on-arrival visa is issued under the mutual visa waiver agreement executed between both nations in January this year. The agreement was signed during an official visit to the Maldives by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, via a tweet, said described the mutual visa waiver agreement coming into force as a milestone that will increase people-to-people links and bilateral relations between Maldives and Cambodia.

Under the agreement, Cambodian travelers will also be granted on-arrival visa upon entry to the Maldives.

On-arrival visa is granted to Maldivian travelers by many countries with the latest additions being Kazakhstan and Oman.

Source(s): sun.mv