The Maldives was represented at the Moscow Dive Show in Russia and Travmedia’s International Media Marketplace in Australia.
Returning to Moscow for the second year, the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation showcased water sports activities and diving holidays on offer in the country. The annual dive show – which took place from 17 to 20 February this year – is the largest exhibition in Russia and Eastern Europe dedicated to diving, freediving, spearfishing, yachting, surfing, underwater photography, pool developers and beach activity organisers.
The MMPRC was joined by five co-exhibitors who advertised water sport activities and underwater adventures awaiting tourists at their Maldives resorts. The show connected the local exhibitors with international producers and trainers.
Russia was a top market in 2021 with a whopping 175 percent increase in arrivals compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019. The Maldives welcomed 222,422 tourists from Russia last year. With 33,191 tourists as of 16 February, Russia is the number one market in 2022, representing a market share of 16 percent.
Among Russian fairs that the MMPRC participated in last year were MITT 2021, LTM Moscow, Moscow Dive Show and The Big Ocean Show. Activities planned for 2022 include e-learning with Profi Travel forB2B, marketing campaigns with tour operators, digital marketing campaigns and participation in major fairs such as LTM Moscow 2022, UITT, Ukraine 2022 and Deluxe Travel Market Kazakhstan 2022.
The MMPRC’s partner agency in Australia represented the Maldives at the annual International Media Marketplace by Travmedia from 17 to 18 February. The global networking event – which connects the travel industry with top journalists, editors, influencers and broadcasters – is “unrivalled for relationship building and networking opportunities,” according to the MMPRC. This year’s event included 5,665 exhibitors with an estimated 10,500 media personnel.
“The participation in IMM is in line with MMPRC’s strategy to maintain the destination presence in this market and to efficiently promote various segments of tourism to travel trade professionals,” the government company explained. “This strategy aims to assist the destination to increase future bookings and arrival figures from Australia and New Zealand.”
Australia was among the top ten markets before the pandemic. Arrivals are expected to pick up as Australia reopened borders for outbound travel in January 2022.
“The Maldives has held several activities, such as webinars, social and digital media campaigns targeting Australian travel trade as part of the effort to maintain destination momentum and increase arrivals from the market. Many similar activities are planned ahead for this market for 2022 as well.”
At both events, the MMPRC sought to promote the Maldives as a safe destination, highlighting the isolation and social distancing offered by the archipelago’s unique geography with resort properties on private islands.
