Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/Visit Maldives), in collaboration with Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) and National Hotel and Guest House Association of Maldives (NHGAM), launched the “Welcome India” roadshow series in India with 24 industry partners on Tuesday.
The Maldivian delegation that attended the event included Minister of Tourism Ibrahim Faisal and Presidential Adviser on Tourism Development Mohamed Khalil.
A key Business-to-Business (B2B) event, the roadshow brings together industry experts from the Indian market. The event provides a great opportunity to bond with partners and offers excellent collaboration opportunities to strengthen relationships.
The three-day roadshow will help promote a platform to interact with Indian partners and strengthen Maldives’ tourism sector. The goal of the roadshow is to increase Maldives’ popularity in India, which is a key market for Maldivian tourism. Major cities with direct connectivity have been included in the itinerary with the goal of strengthening Maldives’ presence in the Indian market.
“To date, we are on track to welcome over 65,000 Indian tourists in 2024, reflecting the enduring popularity of Maldives as a dream holiday destination for Indians,” said Ibrahim Siuli, CEO and Managing Director, MMPRC. “We deeply value this partnership and are firmly committed to its continued growth and success. In fact, this roadshow is a testament to our ongoing efforts to strengthen our connections with the Indian travel industry.”
MMPRC looks forward to actively promoting the Maldives with this roadshow series and prioritising showcasing the unique aspects of the country such as beautiful beaches, fantastic resorts and guesthouses surrounded by rich cultural heritage and vibrant marine life.
In addition to B2B networking and interaction with collaborating organisations, each roadshow will also feature exciting raffles where selected winners will win holiday prizes sponsored by Kandima Maldives, Nova Maldives, Arena Hotel, Kaani Hotel, Villa Nautica, Sirru Fen Fushi, Holiday Inn Kandooma and Alila Kotaifaru Maldives.
India is a significant source of international tourists and one of the major source markets for Maldives. As of June 2024, Maldives received a total of 63,451 tourists from the Indian market, which represents a market share of 6.2% of the total tourist arrivals.
To promote the Maldives in the Indian market, Visit Maldives has completed several initiatives, including two important fairs in February 2024: OTM and SATTE 2024. In addition, Niki Mehra, a well-known Indian model and social media influencer, has been invited to the Maldives during a study trip in May 2024.
Visit Maldives has several plans lined up for this market for the rest of the year, including a campaign with Globalspa, one of India’s top wellness and lifestyle magazines (including a photoshoot with celebrity Malaika Arora scheduled for August), as well as joint marketing plans with Cleartrip and Pickyourtrail.
