Considering the limited direct flight connections beyond the Middle East and Asia Pacific, how achievable is the Maldives' goal of attracting more long-haul travelers?

It is achievable, but a well-crafted strategy for air travel and related services is essential. With prevailing circumstances, it is wise to focus on bolstering the growth of long-haul arrivals through one-stop hubs and introduce seasonal flights to long-haul destinations until we are ready for continuous operations. These hubs could be Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Singapore. Establishing strong partnerships and a great rapport with these hubs could pave the way for a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship. When one-stop itineraries become steady and the destination gains its growth and popularity among travelers and holidaymakers in that region, planning for operation of direct and non-stop long-haul flights can be considered.

The long haul market is still a smaller segment globally, which shows the challenges in developing it. However, the Maldives is very well positioned since it can be reached easily from both East and West through major connection hubs such as the UAE, Qatar, Singapore, and Thailand. These hubs play a crucial role in channeling long haul travelers into the Maldives. Looking at our top 10 tourist markets, three countries currently have no direct flights to the Maldives, and one operates only seasonal flights. This clearly highlights how effective these connection hubs are in sustaining our arrivals. At the same time, it's important for us to explore opportunities to initiate direct flights to these markets and assess whether existing carriers are interested in operating such routes. While it is achievable to introduce long haul services to select European destinations, careful consideration is needed on the potential impact to existing routes that currently deliver transit passengers via major hubs.

To my knowledge, at the moment, there are no new airlines that have expressed interest in operating to the Maldives. However, there may be various charter operations organized by tour operators for short periods. Another challenge faced by airlines is the increasing costs following the inauguration of the new terminal. Many existing airlines have expressed concerns, and unfortunately, MACL is not managing the situation well. One major setback is that the commercial team appears inexperienced, and their approach to these changes has been disappointing. Jetstar initially expressed interest, but unfortunately, it has since withdrawn. According to the CAA, no other country or airline has expressed interest at this time.