Travel Trade Maldives (TTM) has introduce an elevated concept for the highly anticipated TTM Travel Summit 2023. Building upon 6 years of success, this year’s summit promises an immersive and engaging experience, focusing on interactive brainstorming sessions and workshops that will shape the industry’s future.

TTM Travel Summit 2023 boasts a dynamic lineup of sessions and workshops designed to encourage active participation from industry stakeholders. With keynote presentations by industry experts and collaborative brainstorming sessions, the summit will explore crucial topics essential for advancing the tourism sector in the Maldives.

Attendees can anticipate thought-provoking discussions on the future of aviation in the Maldives, exploring emerging trends and challenges that will significantly impact the travel industry. The evolving role of travel agents in the digital era will also take centre stage, emphasising the importance of adapting to changing landscapes and embracing new strategies.

Another significant focus of the summit will be marketing the Maldives to new markets, with experts sharing insights on diversifying tourism products. Furthermore, participants will gain valuable knowledge on media and content strategies for effective tourism promotion, unravelling the secrets behind captivating travel stories and engaging content.

TTM Travel Summit is an exclusive invitation-only event that brings together thought leaders, industry shapers, and senior decision-makers professionally engaged with Maldives tourism. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, the summit aims to propel the industry forward and pave the way for a thriving future in travel.

Registration for the TTM Travel Summit will be open from 1st July onwards, and industry professionals are encouraged to secure their spot early to be part of this groundbreaking experience.

Taking place from August 22nd to 24th, 2023, TTM Maldives 2023 will feature TTM Connect Meetings during the first two days at Meeruma Conference Facility, followed by the TTM Travel Summit and the prestigious TTM Awards & Gala Night on the final day at CROSSROADS Maldives.

Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/ Visit Maldives) concludes a familiarisation trip in collaboration with Singapore Airlines (SQ). The trip was held from 29th May to 4th June 2023. This familiarisation trip provided participants from the Chinese market with an immersive experience of the world-class Maldivian hospitality, focusing on affordable luxury and sustainability in the Sunny Side of Life.

The familiarisation trip commenced 31st May 2023, following the Visit Maldives Storytellers’ Conference 2023. It featured representatives from various publications and social media platforms, with a specific focus on the mass market. This trip generated extensive coverage that highlighted the unique geographical features of the Maldives and its one-island-one-resort concept, along with the exceptional experiences that have made the Maldives one of the world’s most sought-after holiday destinations.

With a estimated combined reach of 1,270,000, leading publications and platforms such as Travel+Leisure, City Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller 悦游, Voyage 新旅行, and 公众号:飞客 Flyer Tea provided coverage that reached a wide audience. During the trip, participants had the opportunity to engage with consumers on social media, share first-hand experiences of Maldivian hospitality through local life experiences, and promote the destination’s sustainability efforts. The trip showcased the range of unique experiences available in the Maldives, highlighting its position as a top destination and environmentally-friendly getaway. Through this trip, MMPRC aimed to not only reach a vast audience but also create a strong presence on various platforms and entice travellers to experience the unparalleled beauty and hospitality of the Maldives.

MMPRC aims to promote the Maldives as a safe and attractive destination for Chinese travellers through this activity. China has consistently been in the top 10 source markets for the Maldives in terms of arrivals pre-pandemic, and despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the market is showing promising signs of recovery. In the first quarter of 2023, 17,691 Chinese tourists visited the Maldives, and the Maldives aims to leverage its presence on various platforms to gain a competitive advantage over other destinations.

This familiarisation trip with Singapore Airlines is part of a broader marketing strategy that includes ongoing PR activities, social media promotions, joint campaigns with leading travel agencies, and more. MMPRC is dedicated to enhancing destination presence in the Chinese market and capitalising on the growing interest in travel opportunities post-pandemic.

Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC / Visit Maldives) has participated in the Riyadh Travel Fair (RTF) to market the destination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Alongside MMPRC, there were 26 participants representing 15 companies taking part in the fair held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 22-24 May 2023. 

MMPRC’s participation in this event was to strengthen brand presence in the KSA market, achieve growth in arrivals, promote halal tourism, and target affluent travellers in the Middle East luxury segment. 

RTF 2023 is considered a significant annual event in which leading travel and tourism companies gather with exhibitors representing tourist promotion authorities and tourists companies at the Arab and international levels. RTF is a market for the introduction of tourist products, services, and investments provided by the most significant tourist companies in the world. Corporate travel decision makers, investors, tour operators, travel agents representing VIP clients, and other industry professionals take part in this event every year. 

The Maldives stand provided visitors with a glimpse into the breathtaking Sunny Side of Life. The stand was thoughtfully curated to showcase the diverse segments of the Maldives’ tourism industry, including luxury travel, family holidays, adventure holidays, halal travel, and cultural experiences. The vibrant and colourful stand featured a range of unique experiences, including  a special raffle giveaway with a consumer quiz, cultural experiences such as a Dhivehi Calligraphy Corner, and gastronomy experiences that offered visitors a chance to sample Maldivian delicacies such as kulhi kaajaa, addu bondi, and theluli bambukeyo. 

Through this event, MMPRC aimed to market the Maldives as the World’s Leading Destination and promote the unique products, experiences and segments of the Sunny Side of Life. Participating in RTF 2023 allowed the Maldives to market tourism products, namely resorts, guesthouses, liveaboards, and hotels, as well as the unique services and experiences available in our destination for travellers.

Through this fair, MMPRC and industry partners were able to share the latest travel guidelines and information about the destination with the travel trade and travellers from this market and around the world. Furthermore, the fair provided an amazing opportunity for industry partners to connect with the Middle Eastern travel trade and establish new business relations.

Participation in the Riyadh Travel Fair came as part of the marketing strategies of MMPRC for the Middle Eastern market, based on conducting campaigns to increase the reach, bookings and arrivals from the region. 

As of 30th April 2023, Maldives has welcomed 23,453 tourists from the Middle Eastern market with Saudi Arabia ranking as the top 19th market to Maldives. MMPRC has planned several activities targeting the Middle East market under the effort to maintain destination visibility and increase arrivals. This includes joint-marketing campaigns; informative webinars; participation in major fairs and exhibitions; and hosting roadshows and familiarisation trips.