The Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC/Visit Maldives) has represented the Maldives at the recent ‘2024 Tropical Coastal City Tourism Event’ held in Sanya, Hainan, China, from September 4-5. This prestigious event, supported by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), was organised by the Bureau of Tourism, Culture, Radio, TV and Sports of Sanya City and Sanya Tourism Board.

The Maldives delegation at this event included Mr Abdulla Ghiyas Riyaz, Chairperson of MMPRC, and Mr Ibrahim Shiuree, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director (CEO & MD). The Chairperson delivered a compelling address on "The Maldives Story & Innovative Tourism Marketing for Tropical Cities" during the Thematic Sharing portion of the event. He highlighted the unique qualities that make the Maldives an unparalleled vacation spot and shared the innovative marketing strategies employed by MMPRC to promote the tropical holiday destination.

CEO & MD Shiuree joined as one of the experts on the panel discussion titled "Insight Sessions: International Tourism Marketing." He discussed key topics such as public-private collaboration, the importance of upskilling tourism workers, and the diversification of the Maldives' tourism product to ensure equitable distribution of tourism revenue across the nation.

"The success of our tourism industry depends on a unified vision between the public and private sector in driving responsible tourism practices and sustainable growth," CEO & MD Shiuree said during the panel discussion.

The 2024 Tropical Coastal City Tourism Event provided a valuable platform for sharing insights, networking with industry professionals, and exploring opportunities for sustainable development in tropical coastal regions. In addition to the thematic sharing and insight sessions, the event featured a variety of activities such as concurrent sessions on sustainable tourism, indigenous tourism, and global tourism quality as well as a business matching session. MMPRC’s participation in the event allowed us to showcase the Maldives' commitment to innovative tourism marketing and our role as a leading global tropical destination.