Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has started offering passenger flights to Male as Maldives allows leisure travel from India. Mumbai international airport offers 4 direct flights twice a week between Mumbai and Male by IndiGo and GoFirst with effect from July 15, 2021.
Among the countries that have been covered under the Government of India's (GoI) Air Bubble agreement, Maldives emerged as one of the most preferred international destinations among passengers travelling from Mumbai. During 2020, more than 371 flights carried 46,735 passengers between Mumbai and Male.
This development comes on the back of Maldives government providing visa-on-arrival and allowed stay in Tourist resorts for South Asia from July 15, 2021. Besides this, the Maldives government has also issued a list of resorts along with their respective opening dates to help tourists plan their travel. In a bid to increase tourism, the island nation is also offering a tourist visa extension facility for long-stay tourists without any extra charges.
In order to avail these benefits, passengers need to ensure their passports are valid for at least one month from the date of their departure from Maldives and also have proof of confirmed pre-booking at a tourist facility. Passengers entering Maldives will also have to carry a negative RT-PCR test report taken 96 hours before their visit.
Edited by Mehak Agarwal
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