EMIRATES MARKS 35 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE MALDIVES.
Emirates will celebrate 35 years of linking the Maldives, one of the most popular and sought-after locations in the Indian Ocean, to the rest of the globe in 2022. This year, the island nation also marks 50 years of organized tourism, catering to a growing customer base in a region seeing an inflow of visitors as travel restrictions relax.
On May 27, 1987, Ronald Reagan was President of the United States and Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom when Emirates launched its inaugural flight to Hulhulé Airport, now Velana International. Malé was the airline's eighth international destination, and it expanded into the world's top international airline in the three decades that followed, linking the Maldives to a worldwide network of more than 150 locations prior to the epidemic.
Over the past 35 years, Emirates has flown more than 28,000 round-trip flights to the Maldives, covering nearly 134 million kilometers and transporting 8.4 million people.
Only a year ago, Emirates was named the leading airline to the Maldives for flying 265,000 people in 2021, a remarkable contribution to the country's tourism industry after the lifting of COVID-19-required travel restrictions. Today, Emirates runs 28 weekly flights to and from the Maldives, linking visitors and exporters to a destination network that is fast and securely being rebuilt to pre-pandemic levels as nations re-open for international travel.
Emirates recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Maldivian, the Maldives' national airline and leading domestic carrier, to explore codeshare, interline, and joint holiday package opportunities, reaffirming its commitment to the role in the Maldives' trade and tourism recovery during the post-restrictions period. The two airlines announced a codeshare agreement in February this year, allowing Emirates' passengers to quickly book and connect from Male' to more than 15 domestic destinations and the international destinations offered by Maldivian.
Similarly, during Expo 2020, Emirates maintained its long-standing connection with the Maldives by signing an MoU with the country's Ministry of Tourism. The agreement reiterated the airline's commitment to the island nation and specified a number of activities aimed at promoting commerce and tourism to the country.
Emirates continues to prioritize safe travel by implementing extensive steps on the ground, at all touchpoints, and on board to offer its passengers with the highest safety and hygiene standards at all times. Customers flying from Dubai may also take benefit of cutting-edge contactless technology to help them navigate the airport.
Emirates provides its guests with an unrivaled culinary experience in the skies, with regionally inspired multi-course meals created by a team of award-winning chefs and a broad range of premium drinks. With ice, Emirates' award-winning in-flight entertainment system, customers can kick back and relax with over 5,000 channels of expertly chosen worldwide entertainment material including movies, TV series, music, podcasts, games, audiobooks, and
Maldives Holiday Offers is the Maldives' online booking website. For the most latest holiday packages, please visit our website at www.maldivesholidayoffers.com.