Maldives Airports Company Private Limited (MACL) welcomed the first tourist of 2026, Thomas Andreas HellWeger, a 54-year-old German national, who arrived in the Maldives via Etihad Airways on January 1, 2026.
A special ceremony was held at the airport to welcome HellWeger and his wife, who are visiting the Maldives for the first time. Deputy Chief Officer Ali Muthag greeted them and presented a welcome gift on behalf of MACL.
“MACL remains committed to providing the highest quality services to all airlines and passengers travelling to the Maldives,” the company said.
The first tourist of the year arrives as the Maldives builds on a record-breaking 2025, which saw 2,240,711 visitors, marking an 8.7% increase over 2024’s 2,046,615 arrivals and a 16.3% rise from 2023’s 1,875,543 visitors.
