Saudi budget-carrier flynas has announced plans to launch flights to 10 new destinations and routes in Asia and Europe during the 2023 summer season, including the Maldives.

It includes four new destinations and six new routes.

FOUR NEW DESTINATIONS:

Maldives
Yerevan, Armenia
Antalya, Turkey
Tivat, Montenegro
SIX NEW ROUTES:

Four routes from Dammam to Salalah in Oman,
Istanbul and Trabzon, Turkey
Tirana, Albania
Flynas said it will also operate two more routes from Jeddah to Salalah and the Turkish city of Bodrum.

The airline will operate to 20 destinations as part of its summer 2023 schedule.

Bander Almohanna, CEO of flynas, said that the new destinations and routes of the airline reflect the company’s commitment to its growth and expansion strategy.

He said that the airline aims to be the best low-cost airline in the Middle East and one of the top 10 airlines of its category worldwide.

“This approach is in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 and the civil aviation strategy to reach 330 million passengers, 250 international destinations, and 100m tourists annually,” said Almohanna

Flynas had posted a record growth in performance and operations during 2022, with an increase of 91 percent in the number of passengers to 8.7 million passengers, a surge of 45 percent in the number of flights to 66 thousand flights, and a 46 percent seat capacity growth.

Source(s): sun.mv

ourist arrivals to the Maldives so far this year have exceeded 300,000.

Statistics publicized by the Tourism Ministry show that Maldives recorded 308,367 tourist arrivals in total as of last Tuesday. February 21st – marking an increase of 27.6 percent compared to the same period last year. In 2022, Maldives recorded 241,750 tourist arrivals as of February 21st.

The highest number of tourist arrivals has been recorded from Russia; 39,262.

Second highest number of tourist arrivals has been recorded from India at 33,561. The UK and Italy follow in third and fourth with 28,876 and 28,426 arrivals respectively.

Statistics show that tourism in the Maldives has returned to pre-pandemic levels as of present. In 2019, Maldives recorded 1.7 million tourist arrivals. The archipelago saw 1.68 million tourist arrivals in 2022 – exceeding the target of 1.6 million tourist arrivals set for the year by the government.

The government has expressed high expectations for the tourism sector this year. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, in his presidential address at the inaugural sitting of the parliament for the year, said the government targets to achieve 1.8 million tourist arrivals this year.

Source(s): sun.mv

Popular extreme adventure sports athlete, Damien Rider, has kicked off his expedition to paddle across eight Maldivian islands in eight days for a world record on Friday morning.

The starting point of Rider’s expedition was Hulhumale’ Ferry Terminal’s jetty area. He will conclude his journey on February 24th, at zero degrees, which is the equator.

Rider’s journey will be the longest distance paddled in the Maldives and will also make him the only person to paddle this channel.

In an earlier interview to Sun, Rider said that he will be utilizing a paddle boat specifically build for the expedition in Thailand.

Briefing on his preparations, Rider emphasized there will be obstructions as he takes up a never-before-endeavored challenge in a nation with an equatorial climate such as the Maldives.

“This would be super tough for me. The hotness, current and waves of the sea and the direction of wind, these things will remain a challenge. I will paddle for 12 hours per day without a break. Will only make stops to eat, hydrate and rest,” he said.

During his journey, Rider will make stops at seven islands; K. Maafushi, V. Rakeedhoo, M. Kolhufushi, Th. Guraidhoo, L. Fonadhoo, Maanagaalaa and GDh. Vaadhoo.

Updates regarding his journey will be shared on social media. The course can also be viewed on live tracking website. He will also showcase the islands where he makes stops through livestreams. The documented journey can be viewed in 54 countries.

Ooredoo Maldives is among the sponsors of this journey.

Rider is an extreme adventure sports athlete who holds 15 world records. He is also a popular author and motivational speaker.

Rider has previously paddled solo, 800 kilometers for 17 days, in the most shark-infested summer Australia has ever seen.

Source(s): sun.mv