Business
Visit Maldives launches digital campaign in Middle East with Zomato
Visit Maldives has started a digital campaign in the Middle East with Zomato, under the the ongoing “Rediscover Maldives…the sunny side of life” umbrella destination campaign.
The purpose of the two-week campaign is to capitalise on the platform’s large audience of 500,000 users, to build awareness about the Maldives through digital and social media promotions.
Under the campaign, Zomato will conduct an activation through an ‘Order & Win’ campaign where users with the highest basket value or frequency of orders will be qualified for a lucky draw to win a trip to the Maldives.
Launched in Delhi 12 years ago, Zomato is an Indian restaurant aggregator and food delivery start-up that is extremely popular in UAE, and has grown to become one of the largest food aggregators in the world.
The platform is present in 24 countries and more than 10,000 cities globally, further enabling their vision of better food for people.
“In this regard, this campaign would generate more than 3.4 million impressions through the competition and it’s supporting promotional emails, push notifications and the brand tiles, ensuring large-scale visibility to the Maldives,” a statement issued by Visit Maldives read.
Following the ease-down measures and reopening of major markets around the globe, the Maldives has become an ideal location for traveling due to its geographically blessed and naturally isolated islands, making it one of the safest destinations to travel to.
In addition, the constant efforts made by the travel and tourism industry to reassure tourists, and the joint marketing efforts by Visit Maldives and other stakeholders have placed the Maldives as the World’s Leading Destination at the World Travel Awards 2020.
“The achievement of this award at such a crucial time would assist strongly in increasing the visitor numbers from the Middle East to the Maldives,” the statement read.
As the Middle Eastern markets continue to reopen, marketing efforts in the region have increased in order to regain the market share, and increase tourist arrivals from the GCC and the KSA region. This is carried forward by utilising efforts such as a joint campaign with DNATA Travel, a radio promotion with Al Khaleejiya, and influencer fam trips — all targeting potential segments.
These actions have firmly placed the UAE at the fourth biggest source market since the reopening of Maldives’ borders on July 15.
Visit Maldives continues to carry out several activities in key markets to promote the Maldives, in which over 412 different types of marketing activities have been carried out in 22 countries.
A total of 314 activities were carried out during the lockdown period as part of the crisis recovery plan. They include fairs, webinars, fam trips, online roadshows, outdoor campaigns, and digital media campaigns.
Some of the noteworthy campaigns include an online roadshow in China, a global advertising campaign with Skyscanner and a global advertising campaign with CNN.
Additionally, the initiation of the Maldives Border Miles loyalty programme and the Allied Inbound Travel Insurance policy assists the efforts to entice travellers to return to the sunny side of life.
Maldives on Thursday welcomed the one millionth tourist to visit this year.
The one millionth tourist is a Thai named Sutapa Amonwivat, who arrived from Singapore with her husband and two children. This is her second visit to Maldives.
Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) and the Ministry of Tourism gave a warm welcome to Sutapa at the Velana International Airport (VIA) Thursday afternoon. She was welcomed at the VIA by tourism minister Ibrahim Faisal, MMPRC Managing Director Ibrahim Shiury and senior officials of various relevant agencies.
After welcoming her with traditional offerings, she was presented with various gifts by the ministry, MMPRC, customs, immigration, Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) and Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA).
Maldives reached one million tourists in June, three weeks earlier than last year. The number of tourists reached one million on July 16, 2023.
Maldives expects to reach 2 million tourists this year.
Chongqing Airlines on Monday began its inaugural flights to Maldives.
The Chongqing-Male route, scheduled three times a week, is expected to strengthen the bonds between China and the Maldives, opening up exciting new opportunities for tourism and cultural exchange.
The inaugural flight was welcomed upon its arrival at Velana International Airport (VIA) in Maldives, where local officials and tourism representatives expressed their enthusiasm for this new development.
“We warmly welcome our friends from China to our beautiful islands. This new connection strengthens our bonds and opens up new opportunities for tourism,” the tourism ministry said on X.
Maldives currently welcomes four airlines from China, including China Eastern, Beijing Capital Airlines, Xiamen Airlines.
In January, Maldives government urged tourism stakeholders in both Maldives and China to ramp up efforts to restore China’s position as the primary source market for Maldives tourism, a status held before the onset of Covid-19.
China, being the largest source market for Maldives tourism before the pandemic, saw a resumption of tourist arrivals from January 2023 after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. In 2023, the Maldives welcomed 187,118 Chinese tourists, marking a significant recovery in numbers. This year, the Maldives has welcomed the most number of tourists from China, with over 107,940 or 11.5 percent of total arrivals by June 12.
CROSSROADS Maldives has introduced WeChat Pay, widely known as Weixin Pay in China, across its world-class resorts, SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton, and Hard Rock Hotel Maldives. This payment option is made available to enhance the convenience and overall experience for guests from China, making their stay in the Maldives more enjoyable and hassle-free.
Understanding the needs of the diverse guests, CROSSROADS Maldives has integrated WeChat Pay into operations, allowing guests from China to easily and securely conduct transactions using a payment method familiar to them. The introduction of WeChat Pay is a testament to CROSSROADS Maldives’ dedication to enhancing guest satisfaction by offering exceptional experiences at every turn. What is also expected through this initiative is that the guests could benefit from better foreign exchange rates, translating to better savings on their expenditures during their stay.
The option is available for guests in-house conveniently at both resorts as well as across the Marina at CROSSROADS Maldives where a wider variety of unparalleled dining and retail experiences are available for all guests. The day visitors from China will also therefore equally benefit from this new introduction at the Maldives’ premier multi-island integrated leisure destination.
SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton, is a vibrant tropical escape that offers unique and locally inspired experiences. The resort features spacious rooms and villas, a variety of dining options, and an array of recreational activities designed to cater to the desires of modern travellers. Guests can escape to the island’s SAiisational natural beauty, enjoy water sports, and indulge in spa treatments, all while relishing the personalised service that defines Hilton’s Curio Collection.
Hard Rock Hotel Maldives brings the iconic Hard Rock spirit to the tranquil shores of the Maldives. This family-friendly resort offers a perfect blend of relaxation and entertainment, featuring music-inspired experiences, live performances, and the brand’s signature amenities. With luxurious accommodations, diverse dining options, and a plethora of activities for all ages, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives ensures an unforgettable holiday experience for every guest.
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