Business
Visit Maldives participates in Spain’s leading travel trade fair
Maldives is showcased at FITUR 2021, the leading international travel and tourism market held in Spain.
During the event held from May 19-23, Visit Maldives aims to create destination awareness and increase the arrival numbers to Maldives.
Five industry tourism establishments took part in the event alongside Visit Maldives.
Maldives is represented at an attractive 72 sqm stand designed specially to represent the beauty and wonder of Maldives through colourful imagery and videos.
The unique geographical formation of Maldives and the safety provided by the scattered islands of Maldives will be emphasised and highlighted at the stand through eye-catching promotional videos on an LED TV screen.
In addition, a quiz regarding details on Maldives is held at the stand to entice travellers and winners will receive a goodie bag.
In line with the Visit Maldives’ health and safety guidelines for in-person events to ensure health and safety of everyone, the Maldives stand is configured to accommodate restricted numbers of visitors at one given time as well as regularly sanitised surfaces.
The five-day event welcomes both trade visitors and professionals from the tourism industry as well as the general public who come for first-hand information about the destination.
The trade fair is open exclusively to trade visitors on the first three days and the general public is invited for the weekend.
During 2020, FITUR surpassed the previously held record with an audience of 11,040 companies representing 165 countries, 150,011 trade visitors, 111,809 visitors from the general public as well as over 5,300 media representatives.
FITUR presents the opportunity for the global travel trade to meet, network, maintain old business relationships and build new ones.
The participants alongside Visit Maldives will have the opportunity to present their latest products and experiences as well as taking part in one-on-one meetings, seminars, networking sessions and more.
As of March, Maldives has welcomed over 3,400 travellers from the Spanish market ranking it as the 18th top market to Maldives.
With the mass vaccination drives and easing of travel restrictions, it is hopeful that the arrival figure from Spain will increase within the next few months.
As of May 15, the Maldives has welcomed a total of 428,400 travellers.
Visit Maldives is currently conducting a digital campaign with Passporter APP, a leading travel application in the Spain market to create awareness of the destination and to reach a large audience through influencers with large followerbases.
Other activities in the pipeline include media and media fam trips and roadshows to target the Spanish 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.
In order to strengthen the measures, 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 has 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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