The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/Visit Maldives) is exhibiting and promoting the Maldives and all its offers at the United Kingdom’s Travel Bulletin Indian Ocean Showcase 2023, held in Chelmsford, Essex, England, on 31st January.

Travel Bulletin is a top UK travel trade brand, with 10 years of experience, offering news, training, networking events and opportunity for travel agents to meet key international sellers of tourism products, services and experiences- including destinations. The Travel Bulletin Indian Ocean Showcase 2023 event provides a platform for sellers and buyers to meet and network, create business contacts and deals. Maldives was represented at the event by MMPRC’s PR for the UK market.

Prior to the beginning of the one-day event, there was a 30-minute B2B networking session with the attendees. MMPRC has a designated table at the event, where 10-minute speed networking sessions with destination presentations were given to groups of 8-10 travel agents at a round table setting. In addition to a networking dinner, special gift hampers, gift vouchers and free holiday raffles were given away as part of the event by participants.

The purpose of participating in this event is to meet and network with top travel trade partners from the region, to maintain and strengthen the Maldives brand in the market, and to share the most up-to-date information about the Maldives and our tourism products including unique experiences.

The UK was one of top source markets to the Maldives last year with 179,312 arrivals by 31st December 2022: 10.7% of the total market share. MMPRC has held several activities in this market last year to maintain destination momentum. This includes participation in major fairs such as WTM London 2022; destination roadshows in London, Manchester & Newcastle; joint marketing campaigns such as the campaign with British Airways; marketing and brand awareness campaigns with travel agents, tour operators, and media outlets; and familiarisation trips. Many similar activities are planned to be held throughout 2023 for this market as well.

In 2022, MMPRC conducted a total number of 178 marketing activities. This included over 90 marketing campaigns, attending 44 fairs, hosting 06 roadshows, 10 virtual events, 18 familiarisation trips, and 10 other events executed worldwide. The national tourist arrivals target set by H.E President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih for the year 2022 was also reached in December 2022, as the Maldives welcomed our 1.6 millionth visitor for the year two weeks ahead of the end of the year. In addition to this, the Maldives secured the title of the ‘World’s Leading Destination’ for the third year in a row in 2022 at World Travel Awards. MMPRC was also awarded the prestigious title of 'World's Leading Tourist Board' for the first time in our nation's history.