China's Xiamen Airlines has officially launched direct flights to the Maldives, with the first flight landing at Velana International Airport at 6:05 pm yesterday.

This marks a significant expansion in the airline's service to the Maldives, following the introduction of charter flights last February.

Starting next Saturday, Xiamen Airlines will operate three weekly flights to the Maldives on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

The flights will be serviced by Boeing 800-737 aircraft, which can accommodate 169 passengers.

Xiamen Airlines is the fifth Chinese airline to offer scheduled flights to the Maldives, joining Beijing Capital Airlines, China Eastern, Xizhua Airlines, and China Southern Airlines in providing direct routes between China and the Maldives.

China remains the largest tourist market for the Maldives, with 156,004 arrivals recorded as of July 29.

This represents a 13.3% share of the total market, making China the top source of tourists for the island nation.