Maldivian (Q2, Malé) has cancelled all planned services to China as the ongoing state of emergency scares tourists off from visiting the archipelago, LX Traveller has reported.
Maldives' President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom imposed the state of emergency on February 6, 2018, initially for 15 days. Lawmakers subsequently agreed to extend the validity of the decree on February 20 for a further 30 days. The move follows days of unrest caused by a political tension between the President and the Supreme Court which had earlier called to reinstate the opposition party to power.
The state of emergency forced a number of countries, including China, to issue warnings advising their citizens against travel to the Maldives.
China has been a major source of incoming visitors for the heavily tourism-dependent archipelago.
According to the ch-aviation capacity module, Maldivian currently operates flights out of Malé to five Chinese cities - Chengdu Shuangliu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Xi'an Xianyang, all via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi. These flights constitute less than a fifth of all Maldivian's international routes.
