Maldives marks arrival of first Chinese cruise ship
Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) together with the Maldives Association of Yacht Agents (MAYA) welcomed the Chinese cruise ship Viking Yidun, as it makes its first visit to Maldives, with a special reception held at Jetty 1, Male’ on Tuesday. This marks the first arrival of a Chinese cruise vessel to the Maldives. The arrival represents a step in the continued diversification of the Maldives’ tourism portfolio and the development of cruise tourism as a complementary segment of the Maldives’ wider tourism offering.
The welcome event, held at 07:00 hrs on 22 June 2026, was organised to provide arriving guests with a memorable first impression of the Maldives through authentic cultural experiences and warm local hospitality. Passengers arriving aboard the vessel were greeted with a vibrant Boduberu cultural performance by the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) Estate Boduberu Team, showcasing the rich traditions and cultural heritage of the Maldives. In addition, promotional tote bags with destination materials and brand items to arriving guests, were distributed to passengers upon arrival by the Visit Maldives team, offering a warm introduction to the destination and its experiences.
The visit formed as part of the ongoing efforts to showcase Maldives as a premier destination for cruise travel, targeting high value international source markets and broadening visitor arrival channels beyond traditional segments. The development of cruise tourism also contributes to national visitor arrival targets through diversified arrival channels and further strengthens and diversifies the tourism industry while supporting sustained growth in visitor arrivals.
This initiative is part of Visit Maldives Corporation’s broader collaboration with MAYA, that aims to further strengthen the Maldives as a leading destination for yacht and cruise tourism in the Indian Ocean. Through the partnership with MAYA , Visit Maldives Corporation will work together to facilitate visitors with a distinctive blend of luxury, culture, and natural beauty, contributing toward broader tourism growth objectives by supporting visitor cruise and yacht arrival targets and increasing international exposure for the destination.
Viking Yidun remains berthed at Jetty 1, Malé, to be departed at 18:00 hrs on the same day.
