The Maldives on last Sunday recorded the highest tourist arrival and air traffic since border reopening on 15 July this year, Sun news reported. Around 5,672 tourists landed on the day.

Maldives Airports Company Limited published statistics, showing the country’s Velana International Airport recorded 578 air traffic, the highest since the border reopening. It is an increase of around 42 percent compared to the last recorded highest figure.

A total of 5,845 people landed at Velana airport, including 5674 tourists, on Sunday. The number shows an increase of 39 percent from 12 December - the day with the next high single day arrival. The country had already surpassed its projected arrival target, 100,000, for the year 2020.

The archipelago has registered remarkable growth in the tourism sector since it had come to a sudden halt in March this year. In August, the country lifted almost all restrictions on arrivals, prompting many airlines to start operations to, and from, the Maldives.

President Mohammad Solih appointed Abdullah Mausoom, a tourism industry veteran, to head the Ministry of Tourism. Mausoom took many initiatives, signed air bubble agreements with countries, introduced country-specific schemes, to make tourism more attractive in the Maldives.

Last month, the archipelago was awarded the World’s Leading Destination for Tourism in 2020.