Visit Maldives and industry partners participate in in-person and virtual events of IFTM Top Resa 2021 to further promote the destination in the French market. IFTM Top Resa 2021 is held from 05th - 08th October 2021.

IFTM Top Resa 2021 is a multi-purpose trade show for tourism and travel, covering all travel segments such as business, leisure, group & MICE travel. The B2B event is held in Paris, offering excellent business opportunities, improved ROI and access to qualified and relevant travel buyers, influencers, and market professionals. In addition to the physical event, the all-in-one digital platform is for the entire tourism market, with content, talks, information and opportunities for networking in one-to-one meetings.

Visit Maldives and industry partners will participate in the IFTM Top Resa 2021 events. Twelve industry partners will participate in the in-person activities and nine in the digital events. Maldives will conduct several meetings and networking sessions with key members of the travel trade attendees during the four days of the fair.

Through this event Visit Maldives will provide the travel trade professionals with the latest information about the destination, including the stringent measures in place at our products (Resorts, Hotels, Guesthouses and Liveaboards). Emphasis will also be given on marketing the destination as a safe haven, focusing on the geographically scattered nature of our islands which provides natural social distancing for travelers from this market. Visit Maldives will also promote the experiences unique to Maldives and inform attendees of the latest information relating to the destination.

IFTM Top Resa 2021 brings together 1700 exhibitors and is expected to get over 34,000 visitors during the four days of the event. Over 200 destinations are participating in this event, with 150 conference sessions to be held between exhibitors and visitors. Organizers note that around 1,000 journalists and media outlets will cover more than 1,200 media stories and articles (TV, radio, written and web press) through this event.

The participation in IFTM Top Resa 2021 is conducted as part of the strategy to maintain momentum and increase arrival numbers from France. As part of this strategy, Visit Maldives have concluded a B2C newsletter with tour operator VeryChic, 02 training webinar sessions for French Tour operators and travel agents, Digital and Social media campaign with Odigeo, Partnership with Amplitudes & Monaco yacht show. Future activities planned for this market include a media campaign with Madame Figaro, digital advertising campaign with Invibes media FAM trip, IFTM Top Resa 2021 and ILTM Cannes.

France is the tenth top source market to the Maldives, with arrival figures growing gradually since border reopening last year. By 23rd September this year, Maldives had welcomed 843,552 tourists, with France contributing 1.9% to the total arrivals with 15,836 tourists.