Maldives begins ‘Welcome India’ roadshow series in India

Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/ Visit Maldives), together with the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) and National Hotels and Guesthouses Association of Maldives (NHGAM), on Tuesday began the ‘Welcome India” roadshow series in India alongside 24 industry partners.

The Maldives delegation at the event include Ibrahim Faisal, Minister of Tourism, and Mohamed Khaleel, Advisor to the President on Tourism Development.

As a key business-to-business (B2B) event, this roadshow brings together Industry professionals from the Indian market. This event provides great chances for fortifying bonds with partners, offering excellent collaboration opportunities to strengthen relationships.

The 3-day roadshow will help facilitate a platform to engage with our partners in India and strengthen the Maldives’ tourism segments. The goal of this roadshow is to enhance the Maldives’ popularity in India, an essential market for our tourism. Top cities with direct connectivity are included in the itinerary as we target to strengthen the Maldives’ presence in the Indian market.

“As of today, we have already welcomed over 65,000 Indian tourists in 2024, reflecting the enduring popularity of the Maldives as a dream vacation destination for Indians,” the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of MMPRC Ibrahim Shiuree stated. “We deeply value this partnership and are firmly committed to its continued growth and success. This roadshow, in fact, is a testament to our ongoing commitment to strengthening ties with the Indian travel industry.”

MMPRC is looking forward to promoting Maldives actively during this roadshow series, prioritising showcasing the unique aspects of the Maldives, such as pristine beaches, exquisite resorts, guesthouses amongst the rich cultural heritage and vibrant marine life.

In addition to B2B networking and dialogue from collaborating organisations, an exciting raffle giveaway is also planned for each roadshow where the winners selected will win holiday prizes sponsored by Kandima Maldives, Nova Maldives, Arena Hotels, Kaani Hotels, Villa Nautica, Sirru Fen Fushi, Holiday Inn Kandooma and Alila Kothaifaru Maldives.

India is an essential source of outbound tourists and one of the major source markets for the Maldives. As of June 2024, Maldives has welcomed a total of 63,451 arrivals from India market to Maldives — a 6.2% market share out of total tourist arrivals.

In order to promote the Maldives in the Indian market, Visit Maldives has completed a number of initiatives, such as the two significant fairs in February 2024, OTM and SATTE 2024. Additionally, renowned Indian model and social media influencer Niki Mehra was hosted in the Maldives during a familiarisation trip in May 2024.

Visit Maldives has several plans in the pipeline for the remainder of the year for this market. This includes a campaign with Globalspa – one of the top wellness and lifestyle magazines in India – with a photoshoot with celebrity Malaika Arora scheduled to take place in August, as well as joint marketing plans with Cleartrip and Pickyourtrail.