Maldives combines efforts to create impactful destination marketing

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Maldives has been incredibly successful in exhibiting at international festivals which have driven the increase of international arrivals to the Maldives. A strong events calendar is seen as a “powerful tool” in getting travellers to visit the Maldives over any other destination.

Both the Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC) and local ventures Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) and Association of Travel Agents (ATA), will engage in multiple international venues to promote tourism in 2018.

MATATO and ATA have proven a big success, by becoming catalysts to improve the county’s destination promotion. This year, they are each set to participate in 15 events.

By utilising the efforts of the two entities MATATO and ATA alongside MMPRC, the Maldives can lead a coordinated approach to a year-round programme of events for residents, tourists and business visitors.

“We will now leverage that expertise by providing inclusiveness for associations and organisations working in the industry, with several event organisers in the Maldives empowered,” says Haris Mohamed, Acting Managing Director of MMPRC, speaking in an interview with online newspaper Avas.

“We are taking the events sector to the next level, with the newly established resorts included. All of these new resorts fall under an internationally recognized brand. We expect to drive to volume in tourism arrivals with these combined ventures,” he adds.

Marketing

“Tourism Minister Moosa Zameer has been employing innovative ideas in increasing destination promotion by the Maldives,” says Haris.

Innovation seems to be one tenet of the strategy behind achieving the vision of successful destination promotion. A second tenet seems to be to ensure the Maldives destination marketing strategy evolves in line with the growth of new resort brands.

“We are providing the opportunity locally and globally based on the endorsements we receive,” Haris says. “Part of the new strategy is to showcase the Maldives to an even wider audience and to grow the rate of events so as to make sure the maximum numbers of potential visitors know about the Maldives.”

In addition to efforts by MATATO, ATA and new resort brands, the government has planned 15 events for tourism promotion. Altogether, the Maldives is set to host approximately 43 events in 2018 for destination promotion.

Potential challenges

While Haris laid out objectives to achieve the vision, it was clear other areas needed to be addressed in order to facilitate these goals.

Presently, an MVR50 million budget has been fixed by the government to facilitate a number of efforts undertaken for Maldives destination marketing. An additional MVR50 million is set to be collected through endorsements, fundraisers and income, according to the Tourism Minister.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]