Sales of tours to the Maldives in Russia increased up to four times in April 2022, the Association of Tour Operators of the Russian Federation (ATOR) reported.
"According to results of the first two weeks of April the leading players of this direction such as Coral Travel, Intourist, Russian Express, Ambotis Holidays, PAC Group, Space Travel, Paks, BSI Group, Club Med and others registered quite a significant increase in sales of tours to the Maldives. Most of them have two or threefold increase (from 80% to 300%) compared to the second half of March", the report says.
In early March due to the shutdown of direct flights tour operators have recorded a decline in tourist traffic in the Maldives to eight times compared to early February, the reduction in sales of tours was up to 85-90% in February. According to official statistics of the islands, 8.8 thousand tourists from Russia visited the Maldives in March - 56.2% less than in February.
According to Paks and Space Travel tour operators, increase in demand for the Maldives in April primarily due to stabilization of the ruble exchange rate. Other participants of the market associate growth with relative stabilization in psychological terms. Tourists are reassured that tour operators continue to work, connecting flights work properly, and the Maldives remains open for Russians - as it was before, ATOR explained.
Ambotis Holidays added that main bookings are in April and May, a few in June and July. Tourists mostly book accommodation in the Maldives in five-star hotels, the highest demand is for tours with a flight. Due to the fact that Visa and Mastercard cards of Russian banks are no longer working abroad, tourists have changed their meal plan preferences. All interviewed tour operators emphasize that almost all bookings of tours to the Maldives are all-inclusive.
According to tour operators, now a week-long tour package to the Maldives medium-range hotel "five stars" can be bought for at least 280-300 thousand rubles for two with flight and meals, with living on an "all-inclusive" - for 300-350 thousand rubles. However, the average price is higher. A tour to a " high-quality" "all-inclusive" five-star hotel during the May holidays will cost from 500 thousand rubles for two people and more, ATOR added.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
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Based on materials from TASS