BANGKOK -- As a wave of anxiety spreads across Asia with the continuing spike in coronavirus infections and deaths, the Maldives is basking in a rising tide of good fortune thanks to a hitherto unexpected source: Russian tourists.
Planeloads of Russian vacationers have been jetting into the Indian Ocean archipelago -- known for its remote, idyllic resort islands -- in record numbers, making Aeroflot, the Russian national carrier, an increasingly common sight at Velana International Airport, the South Asian nation's international gateway. The Russian airline is one of 36 airlines from 35 countries now flying in, two more than the 34 airlines that were operating in 2019, the pre-COVID-19 year.
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