Business
Visit Maldives kicks off joint marketing campaign with Let’s Go Tours in Swiss market
Visit Maldives has commenced a joint marketing campaign with Let’s Go Tours to promote Maldives as one of the safest and preferred destinations throughout the Swiss market.
Hosted from now until the end of June, the campaign includes marketing activities on both online and offline platforms targeting Swiss travel enthusiasts and travel trade.
Let’s Go Tours hosted a Virtual Direct Customer Event on April 29 as the first activity, showcasing the Maldives to an audience consisting of about 150-200 people from the Swiss travel trade.
In addition, Maldives will be featured on monthly and exclusive newsletters reaching over 1,900 travel trade contacts and 8,500 private client contacts.
Social media posts showcasing the beauty of the destination will also be posted on Instagram and Facebook, with outdoor advertisements also planned for six months. The advertisement will be placed on public transportation in the city of Schaffhausen in Switzerland, reaching approximately 82,000 people.
With over 26 years of experience and a loyal customer base, Let’s Go Tours is one of the leading and specialised upmarket tour operators for its destinations specialising in Africa, Arabia and the Indian Ocean.
In line with the strategies of Visit Maldives, the campaign with Let’s Go Tours promotes Maldives in the Swiss market through ambient brand advertising, focused advertising and promotion of individual products and experiences.
Several other activities are in the pipeline for the Swiss market including print and digital media advertising, joint campaigns with stakeholders, familiarisation trips, destination e-learning and media events.
As of February, Switzerland is ranked in the eighth position of the highest performing markets to Maldives with a 2.7 per cent of the market share. Travellers from Switzerland are able to travel directly to Maldives from Zurich via Edelweiss airline.
Maldives has welcomed a total of 5,189 arrivals from Switzerland and the country remains a key focus market in the recovery of tourism in Maldives. In total, Maldives have welcomed over 350,388 tourist arrivals in 2021 so far.
Maldives reopened its borders for tourists of all nationalities on July 15, 2020, with rigorous procedures in place to ensure the safety of tourists and tourism workers.
Tourists 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.
On February 1, Maldives initiated the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine, and the government aims to provide free Covid-19 vaccine to all citizens and residents of Maldives in the upcoming months.
The tourism ministry also launched an initiative to vaccinate people in the tourism sector to develop an even safer scenario for the industry.
As of April 24, 291,227 people in the Maldives have received the first dose of the vaccine with 76,923 receiving the second dose. About 90 per cent of the workers in the tourism industry of the Maldives have also been administered the first dose of the vaccine.
The initiation of the vaccination drive is bound to offer hope to the local population, as well as ensure the safety of tourists. This conveys the message that Maldives is a safe destination for travellers and will hopefully generate a surge in tourist arrivals.
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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