Business
Visit Maldives begins joint marketing campaign with Air Astana
Visit Maldives has kicked off a joint marketing campaign with Air Astana, the flag carrier of Kazakhstan, to promote Maldives as one the most safest and most preferred holiday destinations for Kazkh travellers.
The main aim of this joint campaign is to maintain the momentum of the arrivals from the market.
The campaign with Air Astana includes components targeting both B2B and B2C segments.
The marketing activities consist of familiarisation trips, webinars targeting travel agencies and consumer advertising campaigns such as digital campaigns, ambient outdoor campaigns and radio advertisements.
The activities planned in this campaign will aid in maintaining the destination presence in the Kazakh market.
The first activity of the campaign kicked off on April 21 with the arrival of the first group of travel agents for a familiarisation trip. During their week-long stay, the travel agents will explore the various offerings provided in Kanuhura Maldives and Six Senses Laamu.
Afterwards, a second group of travel agents will arrive on April 26, hosted by Adaaran Select Meedhupparu Resort, Velassaru Maldives and Dhigali Maldives.
Air Astana commenced the first direct fight to Maldives on December 5. This was a stepping stone towards establishing a connection between the two destinations and working towards improving fight connectivity between Maldives and the rest of the world.
Last year, a webinar was conducted in collaboration with Air Astana to commemorate the start of the direct fights from Almaty. Over 150 travel agents from Kazakhstan joined this webinar which was conducted in December. The latest information about the destination and the arrival and departure procedures in the new normal were highlighted during this session.
The start of direct fights to Maldives by Air Astana were reflected in the arrival statistics, with the Kazakhstan market landing a spot in the top five in terms of arrivals to the Maldives, for the first time.
As of April 14, a total of 345,261 travellers have arrived in the Maldives of which 14,567 travellers were from Kazakhstan.
Visit Maldives is conducting several campaigns targeting the Russia and CIS region. A media familiarisation trip has been conducted from Russia and Kazakhstan in February, inviting some of the top media from these markets to experience the destination.
Maldives reopened its borders for tourists of all nationalities on July 15, with rigorous procedures in place to ensure the safety of tourists and tourism workers.
Tourists who have not received the final dose of the vaccine at least 14 days prior to arrival are required to fill an online health declaration form within 24 hours prior to their departure, as well as have a negative PCR test result, conducted 96 hours prior to their departure.
Travellers who have received the final dose of the vaccine 14 days prior to arrival in Maldives will be able to enter the destination without a negative PCR test.
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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