Maldives heads to ATM 2026 with largest international trade delegation of year
Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) begins its participation at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 Monday with the largest contingent of Maldivian tourism industry professionals participating in an international travel trade event this year, bringing together 165 representatives from 74 tourism companies.
Held from 14–17 September at the Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2026 brings together travel trade professionals, tourism organisations, airlines, hospitality providers, buyers and industry stakeholders from the Middle East and international markets.
The Maldivian tourism industry contingent is joined by representatives from Visit Maldives Corporation, the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation and the Embassy of the Maldives in the UAE. The destination is represented through a 517.5-square-metre double-decker stand designed to support B2B engagement while showcasing the Maldives’ tourism offering.
Highlighting the diversity of the destination, the Maldives will showcase experiences beyond the traditional one-island-one-resort concept, including luxury resorts, liveaboards, diving, surfing, adventure, family holidays, honeymoons, wellness, local island experiences and MICE tourism. The Maldives will also highlight the growing opportunity for Muslim-friendly and halal tourism, including halal dining, privacy-focused experiences and relevant services.
“The Middle East is an important partner for the Maldives, and we are grateful to every traveller who has chosen our islands. ATM 2026 is an opportunity to connect with our partners, strengthen relationships and showcase the diversity of experiences that the Maldives has to offer. As we prepare for Visit Maldives Year 2027, we remain committed to diversifying our tourism products, improving connectivity and creating more opportunities for the people of the Maldives,” stated the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mohamed Ameen.
“ATM provides an important platform for the Maldives to strengthen its engagement with the Middle Eastern travel trade and showcase the diversity of experiences available across the destination,” stated Abdulla Yasir, CEO & Managing Director of Visit Maldives Corporation. “While the Maldives is recognised globally for its luxury resorts, our tourism offering extends well beyond the traditional beach holiday, encompassing family travel, wellness, adventure, marine experiences, local island tourism and MICE. Through continued industry engagement and partnerships, we aim to create greater opportunities for tourism growth from the region.”
Throughout the four-day fair, Visit Maldives and participating tourism businesses will conduct meetings with tour operators, travel agents, airlines, MICE buyers, media and other industry stakeholders. Engagement will focus on strengthening existing partnerships, developing joint marketing opportunities, expanding market reach and increasing awareness of the Maldives’ tourism products.
ATM 2026 will also provide a platform for strengthening cooperation with leading international aviation and travel partners. Memoranda of Understanding are scheduled to be signed with Emirates, Qatar Airways and dnata, supporting destination promotion, travel trade engagement, connectivity and visitor growth.
The Middle East remains an important market for the Maldives. The region accounted for 5.8 per cent of tourist arrivals in July 2026, while Saudi Arabia remains the leading Middle Eastern nationality market. The UAE also holds particular importance as both a source market and one of the world’s major aviation and travel hubs connecting the Maldives with the wider GCC, Europe and other international markets.
With established connectivity, demand for premium leisure experiences and growing potential across family and Muslim-friendly travel, the Middle East continues to offer opportunities for tourism growth and market diversification.
Participation at ATM 2026 forms part of Visit Maldives’ wider efforts to strengthen the destination’s presence across the Middle East, deepen industry relationships and position the Maldives as a diverse tourism destination across luxury, romance, family, wellness, adventure, marine tourism, MICE, sustainability and local island experiences.
