Business
Maldives kicks off marketing campaigns in Middle East
Visit Maldives has commenced campaigns with Wego, Sky News Arabia, and Al Rais Travel to promote the Maldives as a safe haven and most preferred destination of choice for Middle Eastern travellers.
From March 10 to June 19, Visit Maldives will collaborate with the acclaimed travel marketplace Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Maldives will be marketed and retargeted on all Wego platforms through both the website and their application.
Other tools include direct B2C emails to their vast customer base, articles, push notifications and several social media posts focusing on Maldives as a safe and preferred tourist destination.
Wego will also utilise search engine marketing and optimisation to increase direct traffic and engagement.
This campaign is expected to generate approximately 1.5 million online advertising impressions and aims to convert these impressions into bookings and interest for Maldives.
Visit Maldives has also initiated a campaign with Sky News Arabia on the April 3.
Sky News Arabia is a leading pan-Arab news organisation broadcasting 24/7 to over 570 million people across the Arabic-speaking world. With a free-to-air TV channel, audio platforms and social and digital channels, it is the home of breaking news, business, lifestyle, arts and culture.
Using Arabic language as medium, Sky News Arabia will create an informative segment on Maldives as a safe tourist destination on television and radio.
Digital banner advertisements featuring Maldives will also run on their website.
Sky News Arabia’s social platforms are the fastest growing news platforms in the region with an estimated digital and social reach of over 48 million. A total of 100,000+ impressions are to be generated through digital media for the Maldives campaign.
Visit Maldives has also just launched a marketing campaign with Al Rais today.
Al Rais Travel and Shipping is one of the largest independent travel agencies operating in UAE since 1977. They are also one of the top Maldivian holiday sellers in the region.
The campaign includes online promotions, competition campaigns, holiday packages and other additional contributions.
With a joint audience of more than 50,000 Instagram, Twitter and Facebook followers, the planned promotional social media activities will increase Maldives’ awareness as a safe and desirable travel destination amongst Emiratis.
The campaign ensures a strong conversation rate to generate interest and bookings for the destination.
In 2020, 26,288 tourists visited the Maldives from the Middle East, which represents a considerable drop from 2019’s figure of 60,003 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, core markets from the region were among the leading source markets to the Maldives post lockdown and continue to grow stronger day-by-day.
As the Maldives achieved the remarkable milestone of receiving 500,000 tourists amid an ongoing pandemic last year, the goal of reaching pre-pandemic arrival numbers from the Middle East shows consistent potential.
Maldives has witnessed record-breaking arrival figures in 2021 so far with an arrival figure of over 100,000 in March alone. As of April 13, Maldives has welcomed a total of 339,962 visitors.
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 a free 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 March 31, 237,716 people have received the vaccine including 17,516 frontline workers in the tourism industry.
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 low-risk 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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