The Maldives is the Best Christmas Destination for UK holidaymakers

20 July, 2020

UK holidaymakers are planning to splash out on luxury Christmas getaways in the Maldives after settling for summer staycations.

After travelers taking summer staycations, Kuoni said bookings for December departures to for Maldives has increased by 20%. Derek Jones, chief executive of Kuoni’s parent company DER Touristik, said: “Inquiries are really picking up for December holidays and over the past few weeks we’ve taken some big family bookings for the Christmas break. Many of our long-haul destinations are at their best in December, so it’s an ideal time to travel to places such as the Maldives, the Caribbean and Africa.”

The revelation comes as the British government considers including the Maldives on its ‘air bridge’ countries list, allowing the tropical destination hugely popular with British holidaymakers to welcome UK tourists without the need to self-isolate on return.

Meanwhile, bookings for 2021 trips to the Maldives are also on the rise.

In June, Kuoni said bookings for the Maldives were outperforming every other destination in its collection, accounting for 56 per cent of bookings for 2021.

Recent Google search data has also shown the Maldives as the top holiday destination among Europeans for next year.

These positive developments come as the Maldives reopened its borders to visitors on Wednesday.

Resorts and hotels on uninhabited islands as well as liveaboard vessels can now host tourists.

Guesthouses and hotels located on inhabited islands will be allowed to reopen on August 1. Passengers on cruise ships and yachts will be barred from disembarking at inhabited islands until then.

Thirty-day free on-arrival visa will be issued to all tourists with a confirmed booking for a stay at any registered tourist facility in the country. The entire holiday has to be booked at a single facility except for transit arrangements.

There will be no mandatory quarantine or testing on arrival. Tourists will only have to complete a health declaration form.

But visitors with symptoms of the Covid-19 respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus or those travelling with someone who has similar symptoms will be tested at their expense.