Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC / Visit Maldives) and industry partners concluded the WTM LATAM event with a series of successful meetings, networking sessions, and over 1,500 visitors to the Maldives’ Stand. The event was held from 5th to 7th April, in São Paulo, Brazil.

WTM Latin America is one of the major B2B travel and tourism events for Latin America, offering excellent business opportunities, return on investment and access to relevant and qualified travel and tourism industry buyers, influencers, and professionals. More than 565 exhibitors from 40 countries took part in the three-day event.

MMPRC took part in the activity along with 11 industry partners from the Maldives, namely Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives; Resort Life Travel; Patina Maldives; Sun Siyam Resorts; Travel Connection Maldives; Intour Maldives; Sheraton Maldives Fullmoon Resort & Spa; Reollo Travel; Lily Hotels; Constance Moofushi Resort Maldives; and Lets Go Maldives. During the event, over 1,500 unique visitors visited the Maldives’ stand to discuss and observe information about the Maldives as a holiday destination.

Additionally, 25 meetings were held between Maldivian officials and the Latin American travel trade and global travel professionals. WTM Latin America organizers also noted that the first two days of the fair saw over 10,725 visitors attending the event this year which is a 8.7% growth by comparison with 2019.

MMPRC participated in WTM Latin America to market the destination as the ultimate vacation destination, providing safety and unique experiences for tourists from Latin America.

Throughout this event, MMPRC and industry partners showcased the unique geography of our scattered islands, which facilitates natural social distancing for vacationers. We also got the opportunity to market our tourism products – resorts, hotels, guesthouses and liveaboards, and the Covid-19 measures in place in these facilities for the safety and security of holidaymakers in the Maldives. Furthermore, we were able to showcase the experiences unique to the Maldives, along with the latest destination updates to travellers and travel trade professionals from the South American and Latin American market.

During the event, MMPRC also held a raffle amongst visitors to the Maldives’ Stand, through which a lucky winner won a free holiday to the Maldives, sponsored by Constance Moofushi Resort Maldives.

Participation in WTM Latin America came as part of our marketing strategy for the Latin American market, especially Brazil. This marketing strategy focuses on increasing arrivals from the market through dedicated campaigns on social and digital media platforms, and through participation and marketing of the destination in prominent fairs and exhibitions held in this market. Countries belonging to Latin America, notably countries such as Brazil, are important markets for the Maldives.

The Maldives has seen 4,130 arrivals from Brazil by the end of February 2022, and MMPRC has several marketing activities in the pipeline aimed at this market for the year 2022. This includes digital and social media marketing campaigns, webinars, and influencers and media familiarisation trips. It also came under a new short term strategy devised to address the evolving geopolitical climate in the world following the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war. With Russia and CIS topping the arrivals figures in recent years, the strategy is aimed at mitigating the potential negative impact on arrival numbers from this region by re-strategising marketing activities in selected markets to minimise the potential adverse effects on the Maldives tourism industry and the nation’s economy.

Maldives has also eased travel restrictions imposed on tourists which enforced presenting of negative PCR tests by all travellers. In this regard, from 4th March 2022, tourists visiting Maldives are no longer required to present a Covid-19 PCR negative result upon arrival if the prescribed doses of vaccine are completed 14 days prior to date of arrival. As of 13th March 2022, the Maldives has lifted the State of National Public Health Emergency imposed in response to the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic. The ease of travel restrictions and measures would make it easier for tourists to visit the Maldives.

MMPRC carried out 260 different marketing activities in 22 global markets last year, including fairs, roadshows, familiarisation trips, marketing campaigns, webinars, and interviews. The greatest testament to the success of these activities came late last year, as the Maldives secured the title of ‘World’s Leading Destination’ (among several other accolades) at the 2021 World Travel Awards, globally recognised as the hallmark of industry excellence. This is the second consecutive year that the Maldives had successfully earned this prestigious title, a shining testimony of the trust placed in the ‘magic of Maldivian hospitality’ by travellers from all over the globe.

This year also celebrates an exceptional year to visit the Maldives – the Golden Jubilee celebration of tourism in the Maldives kicked off earlier last year with plans to conduct new and exciting activities throughout the year.