Tourism Minister flies to India to promote Maldives

Minister of Tourism Ibrahim Faisal flies to India to attend the "Welcome India" 3-City Roadshow, to promote Maldives tourism.

The roadshow is held in joint collaboration between the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO), and the National Hotels and Guesthouses Association of the Maldives (NHGAM).

The roadshow series is scheduled to start on July 30th in New Delhi and continue on August 1st in Mumbai, ending on August 3rd in Bangalore.

This high-profile roadshow event is poised to bring together leading industry stakeholders from both India and the Maldives, providing a platform to nurture new partnerships, strengthen existing ties, and showcase the Maldives' unparalleled beauty and diversity.

Besides Minister Faisal, the esteemed Maldives delegation also includes Mohamed Khaleel, Advisor to the President on Tourism Development.

MMPRC also announced a raffle giveaway is planned for each roadshow, with lucky winners receiving a holiday prize from industry partners.

The raffle sponsors include Kandima Maldives, Nova Maldives, Arena Hotels, Kaani Hotels, Villa Nautica, Sirru Fen Fushi, Holiday Inn Kandooma, and Alila Kothaifaru Maldives.

While the Maldives has attracted a little over 71,000 Indian arrivals so far in 2024, the country is currently ranked sixth among the top 10 source markets.

India maintained top source market spot for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2023, but slipped to sixth position earlier this year following a debacle that involved three senior ranking Maldives government officials.

While the three are still in suspension, they derided Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier, which led to tensions soaring high between both countries, resulting in a large-scale boycott movement against the Maldives launched by Indian celebrities and netizens alike.

Since then, the Maldives government has made efforts to mend its relations with India.