 "Maldives to court Indian tourists with trade shows, celebrity campaigns")
The Maldives, aiming to attract two million foreign tourists this year, is focusing on drawing Indian travellers by participating in trade shows in Indian cities beyond the metros, engaging film stars and influencers, and promoting various tourism segments, according to a report by The Economic Times.
The Maldives has extended an invitation to India’s T20 World Cup-winning team to visit the archipelagic nation and is also offering itself as a potential location for Indian film shoots.
During the January to July period of this year, arrivals from India to the Maldives declined to approximately 71,000 from 110,000 the previous year, according to Ibrahim Shiuree, the managing director of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation, a government-backed organisation.
The business-daily cited him as saying that the overall number of arrivals from India this year would match last year’s figure of 209,193 visitors, noting that the numbers were 291,787 in 2021 and 241,369 in 2022.
Shiuree highlighted the potential of the Indian market, stating that they had seen its impact in the past. He mentioned that they had conducted a roadshow in Bengaluru in June and another in Delhi, which saw participation from destination management companies and hotel chains from the Maldives.
He also suggested that roadshows might be held in tier-two and tier-three cities, in addition to running campaigns and collaborating with celebrities and influencers.
Maldives seeks new tourist segments
Currently, China is the top market for the Maldives, followed by the UK, with India having dropped to the sixth position. India had been the top source market for the Maldives for two to three years following the pandemic, as many celebrities and others sought isolation and privacy in the island nation.
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Shiuree emphasized the need for innovative approaches and new concepts, mentioning that the Maldives plans to introduce film tourism, education tourism, and health tourism, including exchange programs with universities and marine laboratories.
He pointed out that the Maldives could be an excellent location for shooting Indian films and expressed their desire to explore these segments in the Indian market. He added that they had met with the minister of culture, who was receptive to their suggestions, and noted that the feedback was very positive as they aim to diversify their offerings.
Strain in India-Maldives relations
Relations between India and the Maldives have been significantly strained since November last year when Muizzu, who is known for his pro-China stance, assumed the presidency of the Maldives.
This led to a considerable outcry in India, with many calling for a boycott of travel to the Maldives in favour of domestic coastal destinations.
Muizzu had requested that India withdraw nearly 90 Indian military personnel who were operating three aviation platforms gifted by India. By May 10, India complied, replacing the military personnel with civilians to operate a Dornier aircraft and two helicopters.