Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal has said that the launch of international flights and connecting Bengaluru with Dh. Airport is a very good and important model introduced by Manta Air for tourism in the Maldives.

Manta Air started its international flights today and the first flight was from Bengaluru to Dh. Airport. A special ceremony was held at the Dh. Airport to welcome the people who arrived on the flight.

In an exclusive interview to One Online after attending the event, Minister Faisal said that the introduction of direct flights from foreign countries to domestic airports in the Maldives is an important service for all atolls, which will immensely benefit the tourists as well as the industry as a whole.

The minister said that one of the biggest benefits of starting direct flights to the atolls is the ease of transport to the tourists.

"The success of our country's tourism lies in the hospitality of the locals and knowing how to do things according to the satisfaction of the tourists. The model will provide ease to the tourists coming to the country. More importantly, the cost of direct travel is cheaper, at the same time, saving the time spent on the journey. Otherwise, we will have to land at Velana International Airport (VIA) and go to domestic airport and take another flight to Atoll. There will also be transit timings. This change will ease the hardships," Minister Faisal said.

Minister Faisal stated that president Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has given special priority to further develop and implement this model, adding that it is also beneficial for locals working in the industry. He noted that the main obstacle in transporting tourists to guesthouses in the islands is the lack of a convenient connectivity system for domestic airports. Minister Faisal said the arrival of direct flights will also revolutionize local tourism.

"Take Maafushi for example. One of the key reasons for the success of local tourism in Maafushi is the availability of easy transportation. Therefore, the entire country needs to be connected in the same way. Our government will do the needful for this," the minister said.

Minister Faisal said that if there is such an easy system of connectivity, there will be easy opportunities for the locals who want to complete their duties and go to their islands.

"I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the airline's CEO Khalil, as well as management and employees of Manta, for initiating this initiative," Minister Faisal said.