Maldivian, the national airline of the Maldives, has joined forces with TravelSky, one of the world’s largest Global Distribution Systems (GDS), to strengthen its market presence in China and boost inbound tourism from the region. This collaboration marks a key development in the airline’s ongoing efforts to improve travel connectivity and convenience for one of its most critical source markets.
TravelSky, headquartered in Beijing, is recognized as China’s leading aviation and travel IT solutions provider and ranks as the third-largest GDS globally. The company also operates the world’s largest Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) data processing center, and over the past three decades, it has built comprehensive business systems supporting ticket booking, departure control, distribution, and settlement for the Chinese civil aviation sector.
Through this new partnership, Maldivian is now integrated with TravelSky’s GDS and is officially part of IATA’s BSP network in China. This allows IATA-accredited travel agents across the country to seamlessly issue e-tickets for Maldivian flights. The airline announced the development via its official social media channels, stating that the new integration will significantly ease the booking process for both travel agents and consumers, particularly for those seeking direct access to the Maldives.
Maldivian currently operates direct flights to three major Chinese cities, Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, enhancing connectivity between these urban centers and the Maldives. These routes are serviced by the airline’s recently introduced wide-body Airbus A330-200, which features 264 passenger seats and entered service in January this year. The aircraft’s addition to the fleet fulfills a key commitment made by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and supports the government’s broader strategy to expand national aviation capacity.
The airline has also expressed intentions to acquire a second wide-body aircraft to further support long-haul connectivity and accommodate increasing demand. This aligns with the Maldives’ tourism development plans and positions the national carrier to support rising arrivals from Asia.
China remains the Maldives’ largest tourist source market, with increasing outbound travel demand being driven by a growing middle class and rising interest in tropical island destinations. The new partnership with TravelSky is expected to significantly streamline the travel process for Chinese visitors and provide greater visibility and access to Maldivian flights within the Chinese travel agency ecosystem.
In addition to strengthening its direct consumer reach, Maldivian sees this integration as a strategic step toward forming interline and codeshare partnerships with other international carriers. These relationships would enhance the airline’s network reach, improve connectivity for transit passengers, and contribute to making the Maldives a more accessible destination for long-haul travelers.
Maldivian currently operates a fleet of 25 aircraft, comprising one wide-body Airbus A330-200, one narrow-body Airbus A320, four ATR turboprops, nine Dash-8s, and eleven Twin Otter seaplanes. The diverse fleet allows the airline to service both international and extensive domestic routes across the Maldivian archipelago.
As global travel rebounds, this integration with TravelSky is expected to play a crucial role in elevating the Maldives’ visibility in the Chinese market and contribute to the sustained growth of the country’s tourism sector, an industry that accounts for over 28% of GDP and is a cornerstone of the national economy.
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