Sri Lanka popular amongst Maldivians for healthcare, report shows
View(s):Neighbouring Sri Lanka is the most popular destination amongst Maldivians going abroad for healthcare, vacation, study or business. A December 2016 Maldivians Traveling Abroad (MTA) Survey 2016 conducted by the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA-Central Bank) shows that 37 per cent of those interviewed travelled to Sri Lanka while 36 per cent went to India.
Popular destinations Sri Lanka and India were followed by Malaysia (9 per cent), Thailand (7 per cent) and Singapore (2 per cent). Travellers to countries other than these five specified countries and those who travelled to more than one destination combined accounted for 9 per cent of the total respondents, the report said.
The main objective of the survey was to estimate the travel expenditure of Maldivians of going overseas and was conducted over seven days at the Male International Airport. The MMA said of the 7,185 Maldivians who arrived at the airport during December 24 to 30, 4,488 were interviewed for the survey.
Out of the total Maldivian passengers covered in the survey, 51 per cent of the respondents stated that their main purpose of travel was to obtain medical services.
“Thirty four per cent of the passengers travelled for vacation and 3 per cent of the travellers cited education and training as their purpose of travel.Passengers traveling for business and official purposes combined accounted for 4 per cent of the total respondents,” the report said.
On airfare costs, Maldivians spent US$230 on airfare to Sri Lanka, $278 to India, $350 to Malaysia, $477 to Thailand and $503 to Singapore. The report said that the average duration for a medical traveller to India was 14 days, while the expenditure per trip was $641 per person. Some 34 per cent of the people who travelled to obtain medical services stated Sri Lanka as their destination of choice. On average a Maldivian travelling to Sri Lanka for medical purposes stayed for 11 days and spent $634 per trip. Likewise, a Maldivian traveller to Thailand for the same purpose stayed nine days and spent $1,416 per trip on average.
“On average, a person travelling to Sri Lanka spent $594 per trip. Looking at the purpose of those who travelled to Sri Lanka, 46 per cent stated their purpose of travel to obtain healthcare services and spent $634 for an average of 11 days while 40 per cent stated their main purpose of visit as vacation and spent $475 for an average duration of 10 days. Meanwhile Maldivians who travelled to Sri Lanka for business and official purpose accounted for 4 per cent,” the MMA said.