Following two incredibly successful global campaigns with CNN, Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC / Visit Maldives) has signed an advertising and branded content agreement with CNN International Commercial to promote the Maldives to a global audience through persuasive storytelling. This campaign with CNN will be conducted from June till the end of October 2022. MMPRC campaigns with CNN in the past two years focused on promoting local talents, artists, and stories on a global scale. The success of these campaigns inspired us to continue our partnership with CNN in order to promote Maldives through local talents.

The agreement was signed during a ceremony held at MMPRC headquarters on 25th May 2022 by Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of MMPRC, Mr. Thoyyib Mohamed, and by Mr Abhijeet Dhar, Director Sales, South Asia, CNN International Commercial.

CEO & MD Thoyyib stated that CNN had been instrumental in promoting the Maldives through immersive storytelling over the past few years. He said that the campaign will amplify the story of 50 successful years of tourism in the Maldives through a combination of storytelling with emotional resonance and cultural relevance, to elevate perceptions of the Maldives in the minds of travelers.

Speaking about the campaign, Abhijeet Dhar, Director Sales South Asia, CNN International Commercial, said “We are thrilled to take our campaign with MMPRC into the 3rd consecutive year for a global cross-platform campaign that brings Maldives’ travel experiences to life – especially when this beautiful country celebrates its 50th year of Tourism. Our campaign is a compelling combination of rich storytelling, adept branded content and unparalleled engagement that CNN has with its audience. This year we’ve also brought to fore a brand new immersive story-telling experience for our audiences to showcase the hidden gems of Maldives that are beautiful and undiscovered to our audiences across the globe.”

CNNIC's global brand studio Create will also roll out a branded content production under the concept ‘Rediscover Paradise’. This production will appeal to travelers through emotion, resonance, and relatability, and provide an opportunity for them to rediscover paradise. TV productions, digital videos and articles, social media campaigns, photo galleries, and audio tours are some of the diverse approaches CNN will utilize in its content production. This campaign will run adjacent to new upcoming travel and lifestyle content that CNN is developing about the Maldives to run across its TV and digital platforms.

The purpose of the campaign is to promote the Maldives beyond the sun, sand, and sea, delving deep into the rich culture, heritage, and threads of Maldivian society and lifestyle. Stories will be interwoven with the breathtaking beauty and wonder of the Maldives’ natural environment. The content produced in this campaign is designed to reach a global audience. MMPRC focuses heavily on providing exposure and opportunities for local talents and artists during global campaigns such as these. Therefore, we will emphasize promoting local talents during this year's campaign with CNN as well.

This is the third time we have signed a global campaign agreement with CNN in the past two years. Our first campaign was during the pandemic, and CNN was instrumental in promoting the Maldives as a safe

haven in the global market. Our campaign in 2021 with CNN under the theme of ‘Reconnect Maldives’ explored different stories within the tourism industry, the different products and experiences available here, and why the Maldives remains one of the safest destinations. We are confident that our continued campaign with CNN will yield a successful outcome and maintain the Maldives as one of the leading tourist destinations in the world.