Business
Maldives showcased at the Arabian Travel Market
Maldives is being showcased at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) which is the market leading international travel and tourism event for the Middle Eastern market.
Together with Visit Maldives, 69 partners representing 37 tourism establishments from across the various sectors of Maldives tourism industry are showcased under the Maldives.
The Maldives is represented by an attractive stand displaying the tourism products and unique experiences in a 420sqm stand designed specially to represent the beauty and wonders of Maldives through colourful imagery, videography and state of the art 360 degree touchless experiences for the visitors.
Furthermore, business meetings are being conducted at the designated B2B area of the Stand while information about the destination is given over the reception counters.
Visit Maldives also participated at media interviews and panel discussions at the global stage during ATM.
In line with the Visit Maldives’ health and safety guidelines for in-person events to ensure health and safety of everyone and the ATM’s new density rules, the Maldives stand is configured to accommodate restricted numbers of visitors at one given time as well as regularly sanitised surfaces.
This year’s ATM is run as a hybrid event with the live event taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 16-19 and a virtual event including webinars and 1-2-1 video meetings taking place a week later, from May 24-26.
This is also the first major in person event for the Arabian Market presenting the opportunity for the global travel trade to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business through a series of on-stand meetings, interactive displays, seminars, panel discussions, networking sessions and more.
During the four-day event, participants will have an opportunity to showcase their products, network with various key industry stakeholders, generate new business leads as well as engage in B2B sessions.
The Middle Eastern market has historically been an important source market for Maldives. Since the reopening of the borders, the Middle East remains to be a key focus market.
Under the key strategy of maintaining brand visibility to ensure Maldives as a top of the mind destination, continuous marketing activities are conducted targeting the Middle Eastern Market.
Coinciding with ATM, Visit Maldives will host a press conference and roadshow in Dubai on May 17.
As for completed and ongoing events targeting the Middle Eastern market, Visit Maldives recently conducted a media familiarisation trip and has two ongoing marketing campaigns for the Middle Eastern region with Wego and Sky News Arabia.
In 2020, 26,288 tourists visited Maldives from the Middle East with core markets from the region being among the leading source countries to the Maldives in terms of arrivals post the lockdown period.
As a result of mass vaccination drives, easing of travel restrictions and direct fight connectivity, the goal of reaching pre-pandemic arrival numbers from the Middle East shows consistent potential.
As of May 12, Maldives has welcomed a total of 418,579 visitors and among that 7,729 arrivals were recorded from the Middle East market.
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.
The administration of the Covid-19 vaccine was initiated on February 1 with the government of Maldives set to provide free Covid-19 vaccines to all citizens and residents of the country in the upcoming months.
Visit Maldives together with the tourism ministry recently launched “I’m Vaccinated” campaign in order to share a positive message regarding the vaccination of staff working in the tourism sector as well as promoting the initiatives undertaken to ensure the Maldives remains one of the safest destinations in the world for travellers.
The ultimate target is to make Maldives the destination with the first fully vaccinated tourism sector in the world.
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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