News Desk
Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Ameen has led a high-level Maldivian delegation to Russia to shore up tourism ties and boost flight connectivity between the two countries.
This marks the first official high-level engagement with Russia since President Mohamed Muizzu took office.
The delegation includes top officials from the Tourism Ministry, Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC), Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), and national airline Maldivian, alongside key private sector tourism reps. The team is holding official talks and networking events across Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
During the trip, the delegation plans to sit down with Russian government officials to negotiate increased flight capacity to the Maldives. They are also meeting with major Russian tour operators, travel trade partners, hospitality executives, and digital platforms, while hosting two targeted media events.
Speaking on the visit, Minister Ameen described Russia as a close and trusted partner for the Maldives.
“This visit is a crucial step to listen to our partners, strengthen our connection with visiting guests, and prepare together for ‘Visit Maldives Year 2027’,” Ameen said.
Russia remains the second-largest source market for Maldivian tourism, with Russian visitors ranking among the highest spenders in the country. Official data shows Russia generated 192,453 arrivals—accounting for 14.7% of total visitors—following a strong showing of 278,761 arrivals the previous year. Officials hope this first official mission will drive those numbers even higher.
