Tourism-dependent Maldives welcomed Air India flight AI-267 with a water cannon salute at Male airport on Monday, commemorating 46 years of air service between the two countries. The first flight from India’s southern city of Thiruvananthapuram to Male was operated in February 1976.

Taking to Twitter, Air India shared a clip of the water cannon, propelled from opposite sites, as the aircraft landed in the country's capital. The Maldives suffered a big blow in 2020 when international travel came to a halt after the pandemic began. 

Later, the air bubble arrangement between India and the Maldives helped greatly, reviving the archipelago’s tourism industry. In 2021, India was the top source market for Maldives’ tourism, with the country's entertainment industry celebrities making Maldives one of their top holiday destinations and promoting it on their social media accounts. 

(SAM)