To mark the resumption of direct flights from Delhi to Mauritius, Air Mauritius in association with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority organised a Networking Gala Evening at Hotel Imperial, in Delhi on 14th April 2023. Air Mauritius, the flagship carrier of Mauritius will resume its direct operations to and from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi from the May 03, 2023, with biweekly flights using the Airbus A330 aircraft in a Business and Economy class configuration with a capacity of 254 seats. The duration of the flight is 7 hours and 30 minutes. Air Mauritius currently operates six weekly direct flights to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. The evening was graced by the presence of H.E Mr. H. Dillum, High Commissioner of the Republic of Mauritius to India, Mr. Krešimir Kučko, Chief Executive Officer of Air Mauritius, Mr. Laurent Recoura, Chief Commercial Officer of Air Mauritius, Mr. Arvind Bundhun, Director of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and other dignitaries from the Travel Trade, top media persons and other delegates. Krešimir Kučko, CEO of Air Mauritius stated, “We are excited to resume our operations to Delhi after three years of absence. India and Mauritius share a special relationship that is built on the foundation of people-to-people ties. Both India and Mauritius are united by culture, ancestry, language, and geography. This April, Air Mauritius is proudly commemorating its 50 years of presence in India. New avenues are being explored with Air India to offer seamless connectivity via Delhi as well as Mumbai to/from several destinations in India.” Arvind Bundhun, Director of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, while talking to the guests, mentioned, “The long-awaited flight from Delhi to Mauritius is a major milestone facilitating travellers from the northern part of India to commute. We are thankful to Air Mauritius for this initiative which will boost demand. We foresee a steep rise in the footfalls on our land.” Air Mauritius will operate two flights a week between Delhi to Mauritius as per the following schedules: MK 745 DELHI-MAURITIUS Thursdays & Sundays, departing at 08H00 and arriving at 14H00 local time MK 744 MAURITIUS - DELHI Wednesdays & Saturdays departing at 21H15 and arriving at 06H15 on the next day. The Gala event ended with an exciting lucky draw, where Air Mauritius offered multiple return tickets, and hotels offered stay vouchers to the winners, through a lucky draw, in their endeavour to encourage other trade partners to make efforts to increase sales of the destination as a leisure, MICE, and wedding destination.

Mauritius meets Million Milestone

Mauritius recorded more than a million bookings from 1st January 2022 to 1st January 2023.

This achievement is a testament to the joint marketing initiative spearheaded by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Louis Steven Obeegadoo, MTPA, and the private sector. Mauritius remains resilient and top of the mind of travelers.

Tourism typically accounts for nearly 24 percent of the nation’s GDP, and the Government has set a target of 1.4 million visitors during the calendar year 2023.

“I wish to thank all our partners in the hospitality industry for their hard work and dedication to helping Mauritius reach this milestone of one million visitors, despite all the challenges we faced,” said Arvind Bundhun, Director of MTPA.

“This is proof that when we all work together, we can stand up to any challenges. Mauritius is now firmly back as one of the world’s most inspiring destinations and we look forward to welcoming returning and new visitors alike to our shores this year to experience our range of offers.

Now that the travel industry can operate freely, Mauritius is set to reclaim its place as one of the most popular destinations in the world for leisure, business, and long-term travelers including digital nomads.

A major success of 2022 was the launch of the Premium Visa scheme to attract the growing number of digital nomads; with a thousand visas have been issued by the end of the year.

Prospective international home buyers were encouraged to relocate to Mauritius through various real estate schemes, which grant permanent residency status to foreign homebuyers in Mauritius. They can also generate revenue through these properties via a rental pool. International hospitality brands are investing in Mauritius under this scheme, making it a win-win for brands, investors, and visitors wishing to make Mauritius their long-term home.

“Mauritius is uniquely placed to benefit from the increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly holidays, as well as meet the desire to experience destinations with a strong historic, cultural, and natural appeal,” said Arvind Bundhun.

“In addition to being a premier luxury holiday destination in the world with a high rate of return, Mauritius is one of the most business and investment-friendly locations. We are delighted to be welcoming more than a million visitors in 2023 and look forward to achieving the challenging targets that we have set for ourselves.”