Business
Visit Maldives hosts training webinar sessions for French travel trade
Visit Maldives on Tuesday conducted the second session of the training webinar series for the French travel trade.
The session was conducted via the recently launched virtual event management platform of Visit Maldives, ‘My Virtual Maldives’. This platform is designed to amplify audience engagement and networking by connecting attendees from across the globe through virtual exhibitions, roadshows, webinars to training and live marketing events targeting the travel trade and consumers alike.
Conducted in French language, the aim of the webinar series is to promote Maldives as a safe haven for travellers and educate the French Travel Trade about the destination with the latest information and travel guidelines.
“This helps agents acquire all the updates to sell the Maldives in time when leisure travel resumes in France,” a statement issued by Visit Maldives read.
“The second session was focused on promoting Maldives as the most preferred destination for honeymooners and couples.”
The hour-long session focused on unique activities that can be experienced in Maldives for couples and honeymooners. From private yoga sessions, sunset cruise, dining and movie under the stars, and lazy afternoon lounging by the pool, the session will cover a unique variety of experiences in Maldives.
In addition, unique experiences to Maldives such as bubble tents on a beach, private water villa and flying above the islands in a seaplane were highlighted.
Apart from the destination presentation, Reethi Beach Resort, Pullman Maldives Maamutaa and Grand Park Kodhipparu participated in the session and talked about their products respective to the theme.
In order to make the session more interactive, a quiz was held and the winner was awarded a free holiday to Maldives sponsored by Reethi Beach.
With over 40 French agents in attendance the session ended with a Q&A in which agents cleared specific information regarding the destination.
The latest travel and health guidelines, Covid-19 situation, the stringent safety measures in place as well as the recently initiated ‘I’m Vaccinated’ campaign were discussed.
In addition, information on resorts, guesthouses, liveaboards and hotels were also clarified along with the unique experiences offered in Maldives.
The webinar series, which is scheduled for every quarter of the year, will each focus on a different theme of interest. Apart from the destination presentation, industry partners will be invited to talk about their product on offer respective to the theme.
The first session held earlier this year focused on the variety of water sports and water activities visitors can experience in Maldives. The theme for the second session was ‘Romantic Getaways in Maldives’.
Subsequent sessions will cover Sustainable tourism in Maldives, and local culture, and guesthouses.
In line with the marketing strategies to promote the destination in the French market, Visit Maldives has recently concluded a campaign in France with the French Tour Operator Very Chic.
Other major activities planned for the year targeting the French market include partnership with Tour Operator Amplitudes, social and digital media campaign with Odigeo, media familiarisation trips and participation at the International French Travel Market (IFTM Top Resa) and International Luxury Travel Mart (ILTM).
Several of these activities will commence once the French government eases travel restrictions for travellers.
As of June 3, France is ranked in the seventh position among the highest performing source markets to Maldives with an arrival figure of 10,208 travellers.
France remains a key focus market in the recovery of tourism in Maldives and the target is to achieve pre-pandemic growth levels.
The Maldives have welcomed over 466,500 tourist arrivals in 2021 so far.
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 also launched the “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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