I-Maldives imemezele ukukhuphuka okumangalisayo okungu-10.2% unyaka nonyaka enanini eliphelele labavakashi base-UK abafika ngo-2018, uma kuqhathaniswa no-2017. Sekukonke, izivakashi zase-UK eziyi-114,602 zifike endaweni okuyiwa kuyo i-Indian Ocean kusukela ngoJanuwari - Disemba 2018, uma kuqhathaniswa 103,977 ngo-2017.

NgoDisemba kuphela wabona izivakashi eziyi-10,784 zase-UK ezifika eMaldives, okubonisa ukwanda kwe-11% uma kuqhathaniswa nenyanga efanayo ngo-2017 lapho abahambi base-UK abangu-9,717 befika eMaldives. I-UK imele imakethe yesibili enkulu kunazo zonke yaseYurophu kwezokuvakasha eziya eMaldives futhi ingeyesithathu ngobukhulu emhlabeni, kanti abavakashi base-UK babala u-7.7% wabo bonke abafika eMaldives ngo-2018.

Emhlabeni jikelele, i-Maldives yamukele abavakashi bamazwe ngamazwe abayizigidi ezingu-1.48 ngo-2018, okumele ukunyuka konyaka ngo-6.8% uma kuqhathaniswa nenani eliphelele labafika ngo-2017.

Ngo-2018, iMaldives yagubha uguquko olukhulu lwengqalasizinda kanye nokuvulwa kwezindawo ezintsha ezimbalwa zokungcebeleka, okuhlanganisa i-Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort kanye neFairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi. Kulo nyaka kuhlelwa okungenani ezinye izindawo zokungcebeleka eziyi-17 eMaldives, okuhlanganisa iLUX* North Malé Atoll, Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi Resort kanye neNautilus, indawo yokuphumula enamagumbi angama-26 enkabeni yeMaldives' UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Ngo-2019, i-Maldives izophinde igubhe ukuvulwa kwe-CROSSROADS, iphrojekthi ehlangene yezokungcebeleka nokuzijabulisa ezohlanganisa iziqhingi eziyisishiyagalolunye futhi izoba indawo enkulu yokungcebeleka ehlanganisiwe e-Indian Ocean.

Ephawula ngokwanda kwezivakashi ezifikayo, uNgqongqoshe Wezokuvakasha eMaldives, uMhlonishwa. U-Ali Waheed, uthe, “I-UK ingenye yezimakethe zangaphakathi zaseMaldives ezibaluleke kakhulu kwezokuvakasha, ngakho-ke sijabule kakhulu ukubona ukwanda okuqhubekayo kwenani labahambi baseBrithani abakhetha ukuvakasha lapha. Kulo nyaka, sizokwamukela ukuvulwa kwezindawo zokungcebeleka ezintsha ezinezinkanyezi ezine neziwubukhazikhazi ngakho sibheke ngabomvu ukwamukela izivakashi eziningi ezintsha nezibuyayo zase-UK eziqhingini zethu.”

Ngaphezu kwentuthuko entsha yezokuvakasha eMaldives, indawo okuyiwa kuyo yanikezwa inqwaba yemiklomelo yezimboni ehlaba umxhwele ngo-2018 futhi yakamuva yaklonyeliswa njenge-'World's Leading Dive Destination 2018' kumaWorld Travel Awards, owawuseLisbon ngoDisemba. 2018. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izindawo zokungcebeleka ezinhlanu zase-Maldivian nazo zaqashelwa ngobusuku bemiklomelo, okuhlanganisa i-Baros Maldives, eyaqanjwa ngokuthi 'Indawo Yokungcebeleka Kakhulu Yomhlaba Wonke 2018', kanye ne-Jumeirah Vittaveli, eklonyeliswe 'njengeNdawo Yezokungcebeleka Yase-Honeymoon Ehamba Phambili Yomhlaba Ka-2018'.

LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:

In addition to new tourism developments in the Maldives, the destination was presented with a host of impressive industry awards in 2018 and was most recently crowned as the ‘World's Leading Dive Destination 2018' at the World Travel Awards, which were held in Lisbon in December 2018.
This year at least 17 further resort openings are planned in the Maldives, including LUX* North Malé Atoll, Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi Resort and The Nautilus, a 26-roomed boutique resort in the heart of the Maldives' UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
December alone saw 10,784 UK tourist arrivals in the Maldives, representing an increase of 11% when compared to the same month in 2017 when 9,717 UK travellers arrived in the Maldives.