Highlights of ‘The Maldives Media Meet’ and ‘Connect with Maldives, Your Safe Haven’ Held in Dubai
Saturday 22nd of May 2021
On May 17, 2021, alongside the sidelines of the mega event ATM, Visit Maldives hosted two significant events aimed at the Middle Eastern travel trade, that was aimed to share travel and tourism-related information from the Maldives with the audience.
The press event titled ‘The Maldives Media Meet’ was attended by key decision-makers of the Middle Eastern tourism industry, where three sessions of information exchange concluded with a question-and-answer session. Ambassador of the Republic of the Maldives to UAE, H.E. Ms. Aminath Shabeena participated in the panel along with Managing Director of Visit Maldives, Mr. Thoyyib Mohamed, and Deputy Chief Marketing Officer of Visit Maldives, Ms. Fathimath Afra.
Mr. Thoyyib addressed key strategies and measures in place with regards to travel to the Maldives, and assured the attendees of the safety being maintained in the destination for travelers and service providers alike, backed by the ongoing industry-wide vaccination campaign, ‘I’m Vaccinated’. He also threw light on the golden year of tourism coming up next year, which is being planned to be celebrated grandly across the archipelago. Ms. Afra spoke about the marketing plans in the pipeline for the Middle Eastern and GCC market.
H. E. Shabeena also shared a statement, discussing the ongoing talks between the governments of Maldives and UAE in regards of establishing a travel corridor, anticipated to solidify in the near future.
Following the media meetup, the ‘Connect with the Maldives; Your Safe Haven’ roadshow took off, creating opportunities for the 10 Maldivian industry partners representing resorts and DMCs to connect with Dubai-based travel agents and tour operators. The engagements opened up networking and sharing on information on the properties, products, and authentic experiences available for a memorable holiday in the Maldives between the businesses.
Furthermore, a speed networking session during the roadshow was held to provide travel-related information to the audiences, focused on the Maldives remaining a safe sanctuary for travelers. The session was entertained by popular travel blogger and influencer from the Middle East, Ms. Sana Chikhalia who shared her experiences of holidaying in the Maldives and talked about the beauty of the destination.
The roadshow ended with an exciting raffle draw, giving away a fully paid holiday at the stunning Sun Siyam Olhuveli resort.
Mr. Thoyyib launched the much-awaited ‘Tales of Maldives’ campaign during the event. The strategic marketing campaign hopes to collect creative, engaging and memorable content that will leave a long-lasting footprint of the Maldives on the travelers’ minds, ultimately helping create a deep-rooted emotional connection and love for the Maldives, culture, folklore, natural assets, and experiences. This in turn will boost the powerful brand resonance and identity for the destination.
These were the first in-person events held in the market since the onset of the pandemic. The continuous activities being carried out in the market is anticipated to have a positive impact on the arrivals from the region as travel restrictions ease.