Private jet movements at Velana International Airport (VIA) rose by 8% in December compared to the same period last year, the Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL) has revealed.
More than 150 private jets have landed at the country’s main airport so far this month, continuing a trend of increased jet arrivals during the peak tourism season. Currently, over 30 jets are parked across the airport’s 68 dedicated spaces located on its north, east, and south sides.
This year, 2,326 jet movements have been recorded as of 28 December, a 10% increase from the 2,107 recorded during the same period in 2023, according to MACL.
Passenger traffic at VIA has also surged, with a 9% year-on-year increase in arrivals. As of Friday, 2.4 million passengers had arrived in the Maldives, up from 2.2 million last year.
Tourist arrivals reached a milestone earlier this week as the Maldives welcomed its two-millionth visitor of 2024. This marks the first time the country has surpassed two million tourist arrivals in a single year.