In his address at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/Visit Maldives), Chairperson Mr. Abdulla Ghiyas announced a historic financial and structural turnaround for the organization.

Speaking at the AGM on 15 July 2025, he stated, “Just 12 months ago, we were a corporation in deficit, weighed down by systems and inefficiencies. Today, we have turned the page — a result of bold reforms, renewed focus, and industry alignment.”

In his remarks, Chairperson Ghiyas outlined several major milestones in the organization’s transformation. He shared that recurrent expenditure had been reduced by over 10%, and the portion of the budget allocated to trade shows had dropped significantly, from 80% to 34%, allowing more resources to be directed toward impactful initiatives. He also highlighted the importance of having strong, performance-driven public relations representation around the world. Noting that in the past 10 years, PR agencies had largely been used for translation and logistics with little accountability or KPIs, he stressed that MMPRC is now rethinking its PR efforts and moving in a more results-oriented direction.

Chairperson Ghiyas emphasized that MMPRC is now operating as a modern, data-driven, and strategic tourism board — one focused not merely on visibility, but on delivering measurable outcomes through conversion-based, performance-driven campaigns.

He reported strong performance across key markets. India, which had previously shown a decline of 39%, is now experiencing a growth of 4%. Google search interest for Maldives from Europe and Asia has also surged by more than 1000%, indicating a powerful resurgence in global attention.

“The Maldives is not just on the global travel map — we are front and center. And the next six months will be even more impactful, with new partnerships and smarter campaigns already in motion,” he added.

Chairperson Ghiyas also delivered a strong call to action regarding destination marketing funding.

"When we look around the region, our competitors are allocating significantly higher budgets to promote their destinations. In contrast, the Maldives is spending the least among all our main competitors. This is a reality we must approach with caution. If we fail to remain visible and competitive in the global market, we risk losing ground—and that comes at a far greater cost to our economy and our people. In the last 20 years, we haven’t spent on destination marketing the way our competition is doing.”

He concluded his address by extending heartfelt gratitude to government partners, private sector stakeholders, and the MMPRC team.

“This transformation is not about me or this board alone — it is about all of us. MMPRC today is by the industry, for the industry. We are building not just the greatest tourism story, but one that Maldivians can be proud to call our own.”

Under the leadership of Chairperson Abdulla Ghiyas, MMPRC is demonstrating that strategic reform, fiscal discipline, and a unified industry vision can elevate Maldives tourism to new global heights.