The inaugural cruise ship of this year's tourism season made its arrival in the Maldives on Monday, signaling the imminent start of the bustling season. According to Mohamed Nasheed, the president of the Maldives Association of Yacht Agents (MATA), the Italian cruise ship MS AIDAbella docked in Male' at 10:00 am on Monday. With a passenger count of 2,008 and a crew of 600, the ship is scheduled to stay in Male' for a two-day period.

Passengers from the MS AIDAbella disembarked and explored Male' City on both Monday and Tuesday. Following its stay in the Maldives, the cruise ship is set to continue its journey to Colombo and eventually conclude its voyage in Dubai.

As the season progresses, more cruise ships are expected to visit the Maldives, as predicted by MAYA (Maldives Association of Yacht Agents). Notably, the Maldives experienced a record-breaking 1.5 million tourist arrivals in October, with projections indicating that the number will reach 1.8 million by year-end