VisitMaldives has announced an increase in visitor arrivals from the UK, with the 2016 figures revealing a 9.8 per cent increase in UK tourists during the year.

The figures equate to 101,843 UK tourists visiting the Maldives compared to 92,775 in 2015.

UK visitor numbers are expected to rise further during 2017, and to support this fast expanding tourist industry, VisitMaldives has announced new tourism developments taking place throughout the year.

These include a number of new hotel developments and the creation of a new Trans Maldivian Airways seaplane base at the recently redeveloped Gan International Airport.

Haris Mohamed, acting managing director at Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation, said: “We’re very pleased to see an increase in visitors from the UK and that the Maldives is still one of the UK’s favourite holiday destinations.

“We are continuing to update our tourism infrastructure with a number of new developments taking place including an ambitious $50 million redevelopment project which was completed at Gan International Airport in November 2016.

“The airport’s renovation will enable long-haul operations and direct connectivity via seaplane transfers to the southern regional resort network, hopefully welcoming even more UK tourists throughout 2017.”

The UK is one of the Maldives’ most important long-haul markets, representing over seven per cent of total visitors.