Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC), in collaboration with Belavia Air, conducted a Maldives–Belarus Connectivity Webinar on 10 September 2026, bringing together Maldivian tourism industry partners and travel trade representatives from Belarus ahead of the launch of direct flights between the two countries.
The webinar formed part of Visit Maldives’ efforts to strengthen engagement with the Belarusian travel market and build awareness of the Maldives ahead of Belavia Air’s planned launch of direct flights in December 2026. The session provided Belarusian travel agents and tour operators with information on the upcoming connectivity, as well as the range of accommodation options, tourism products and experiences available in the Maldives.
The webinar was held in partnership with Belavia Air, Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MOTCA) and Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL). The session was attended by 100 Belarusian travel trade representatives, alongside representatives from 06 Maldivian tourism establishments, which included four resorts, one DMC and one guest house. The participating properties presented their accommodation offerings, experiences and services, providing the Belarusian travel trade with direct information on the products and experiences available in the Maldives.
The session included a presentation by Belavia Air on the upcoming Belarus–Maldives direct connectivity and flight operations. Participants also received insights into the Belarusian travel market, including travel patterns, existing accessibility and opportunities for promoting the Maldives to Belarusian travellers.
The webinar concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session involving representatives from Belavia Air, Maldivian tourism partners and the Belarusian travel trade. The session addressed key topics including the Maldives’ diverse tourism offerings, covering local island tourism and affordable luxury options, along with general destination information, international and domestic air connectivity, and tourism taxes. The conversation also explored traveller preferences and opportunities to increase awareness and demand for the Maldives ahead of the commencement of direct flights.
Belarus is an emerging source market for the Maldives, with 7,443 Belarusian tourists recorded in 2025. From January to June 2026, the Maldives recorded 3,257 arrivals from Belarus, representing 0.4 per cent of total arrivals during the period. Arrivals from Belarus have increased steadily in recent years, from 4,080 in 2022 to 5,740 in 2023, 6,810 in 2024 and 7,443 in 2025.
The Belarusian market recorded 736,400 outbound trips, with Türkiye, Egypt, Italy, Georgia and the UAE among its leading outbound destinations. The market’s peak travel periods are Q4 (October–December) and Q1 (January–March). Current air accessibility includes connections through airlines such as Aeroflot, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines and Air Astana.
With Belavia Air scheduled to commence direct flights between Belarus and the Maldives in December 2026, the new connectivity is expected to improve accessibility to the destination and create further opportunities for tourism businesses to engage with the Belarusian market.
The webinar forms part of Visit Maldives’ continued trade engagement activities to strengthen relationships with international travel markets, increase destination awareness and support tourism demand for the Maldives.
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