After the country was opened on July 15 for tourists, the Maldivies’ Velana airport - the main international airport- received the highest air traffic on Saturday, Sun new reported. 

The Maldives’ Airport Company Limited (MACL) said in a tweet that the airport set the new record on Saturday since the reopening on July 15. It received 3100 tourists and recorded 353 air traffic on the day. 

Hailing the progress from earlier zero arrival to more than 2900, the country’s Tourism Minister Abdullah Masoom tweeted, “Congratulations travel and tourism industry. Another new record for the daily arrival in Maldives…How do we thank you all for bringing daily arrival from zero to near 3000 in just 20 weeks.”

The growth in the arrival comes as many airlines are slowly starting their operations to the country. Currently, 20 international airlines have started their operations in the Maldives. 

After the global pandemic jolted the travel industry, forcing countries around the world into lockdown, the Maldives became one of the earliest countries to open its border for tourism on 15 July. 

Though the initial arrival remained on average 100 per day in July month, the figure now stands at 1500. The country also revised its annual arrival target to 500,000 by year-end. Just days back, Tourism Ministers Abdullah Masoom informed that the country was close to achieving its revised target for 2020.