Maldives has launched a loyalty programme — dubbed the first of its kind in the world — to reward tourists visiting the country, in a bid to boost tourism after reopening the Indian Ocean tourist destination’s borders to visitors.

The Maldives Border Miles programme, initiated by Maldives Immigration and developed jointly with the tourism ministry, Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) and Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), came into effect on December 1.

The programme has three tiers: Aida (bronze), Antara (silver) and Abaarana (gold). Each tier is defined by a set variety of rewards, services and benefits, which increase in value as members progress.

Participating tourists will be rewarded with points based on the number of visits and duration of stay. Bonus points will be awarded for visits to celebrate special occasions.

Tourism authorities and stakeholders expect the loyalty programme to boost tourism considerably as they see it as an added advantage in promoting the Maldives. It is also a golden opportunity for returning visitors to rediscover the best of Maldives and get the most out of their visit to the “Sunny side of life”.

The Maldives reopened to international visitors on July 15, with travellers being offered free 30-day tourist visas upon arrival in the country. Many airlines have now resumed or will restart flights to Male, offering connections to and from destinations such as Doha, Dubai, Colombo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Istanbul, London, Zurich and Frankfurt. To book your holiday in paradise directly with the resort of your choice, visit www.madlymaldives.com.