News & Events

As of January 2023, Maldives have welcomed 3,398 tourists from Southeast Asia. Apart from MATTA Fair 2023, MMPRC has planned several marketing activities in this region to market and further promote the destination. These activities include Maldives Roadshow in Southeast Asia, Print Advertising Campaign and a media familiarisation trip. We will also represent the Maldives at major fairs in this region such as ADEX Ocean Mission 2023, NATAS Holidays 2023 and ITB Asia 2023.

In 2022, MMPRC conducted 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 in 2022.

Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/Visit Maldives) is excited to announce that the social media competition to select 50+ participants for MMPRC’s largest event held in the Maldives this year, the Visit Maldives Storytellers’ Conference 2023, is now open! The competition will be open from 27th February to 25th March 2023.

The Visit Maldives’ Storytellers’ Conference 2023

The Visit Maldives Storytellers’ Conference 2023, to be held from 30th May to 2nd June, brings together 50+ content creators from around the world to ‘Weave Your Maldivian Story’ at the largest gathering of travel writers, journalists, bloggers, influencers, and media experts in the Sunny Side of Life this year. We invite them to experience & explore our island nation and express their thoughts through videos, photos, articles & social media posts. The 50+ content creators will be selected through a Social Media Competition launched today.

The Visit Maldives Storytellers’ Conference 2023 is styled under our ‘Redefining MICE’ concept; a relaxed atmosphere at the beach at Crossroads Maldives. Enjoy the conference beneath palm trees with your toes in the sand, barefoot amidst the endless blues of the ocean and the resplendent horizon. Participants of this conference will have the opportunity to take part in interesting discussions with renowned international storytellers on relevant and trending topics, such as sustainable efforts in tourism, the role of social media in marketing promotions, and more.

Attendees at the conference can take part in breakout sessions where they can learn about sustainable tourism, Maldivian culture, heritage, and learn about Maldives fisheries in gastronomy sessions, and more. The conference will also feature pop-up stalls from leading artists in the Maldives. The stalls will showcase authentic Maldivian products and the skill of the talented local artisans. To conclude the event, a gala dinner has been arranged for the storytellers, speakers, and VIP guests at the Crossroads Maldives Beach Club with live music and more.

At the end of the conference, the winners of the social media competition will get the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the beauty, experiences, and hospitality of the Maldives. They can enjoy the best of what the Sunny Side of Life has to offer as per their preferred choice of activities.

Participants may enjoy experiences ranging from snorkelling with mantas and whale sharks to watersports, culinary tours, island-hopping, and even sandbank picnics. The sideline experiences will be conducted at the following 08 different regions of the Maldives, each with its distinctive features, activities, and experiences.

• Baa Atoll
• Dhaalu Atoll
• Laamu Atoll
• Ari Atoll
• Lhaviyani & Noonu Atoll
• Gnaviyani Atoll
• Malé Atoll
• Seenu Atoll

How to take part in the Visit Maldives’ Storytellers’ Conference 2023 Social Media Competition

“What is your dream vacation in the Maldives?”

Those who wish to be invited to this conference, are required to create a unique piece of content showcasing their content creation skills while answering this question on their social media accounts (Facebook or Instagram, or both!) and then fill in and submit the application form on our website storytellers.visitmaldives.com as per the guidelines. For a complete step-by-step guide on how to apply, visit the competition page on our website storytellers.visitmaldives.com/contests.

Visit Maldives will review the submissions and select the top 50+ to attend the conference, where they will have the opportunity to network with industry professionals and experience the beauty of the Maldives firsthand. All 50+ winners will be invited to attend the Visit Maldives Storytellers’ Conference 2023, along with 3 days and 2 nights (or this may vary) of authentic experiences in 08 unique regions of the Sunny Side of Life. All tickets, including international flights, domestic transfers, accommodations and meals will be provided on FOC basis.

For more information, please contact us at storytellers.visitmaldives.com/contact-us

The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC / Visit Maldives) extended an invitation to some of Thailand's most prominent journalists and bloggers to experience the world-class hospitality and luxury awaiting tourists in the Sunny Side of Life. These representatives arrived in the Maldives on 20^th February 2023, to immerse themselves in the unique experiences, products, and Maldives’ renowned service standards for 6 days.

The team consists of 2 journalists, 3 bloggers, and 1 PR representative who will be staying at Pullman Maldives Maamutaa, Mercure Maldives Kooddoo, and Reethi Beach Resort in the Maldives. They will share their experiences with their extensive audiences through online articles, publications, and social media platforms. This activity will help to build greater brand awareness and promote the Maldives as a top-of-mind destination. With the combined reach of the media members, the generated content is expected to exceed a staggering 6,179,000 impressions.

This exciting media trip is part of MMPRC's marketing strategy for Southeast Asia, with a focus on showcasing the Maldives' diverse and unique aspects to travellers from the region. The Thailand market currently ranks #38 globally for inbound visitors to the Maldives, and MMPRC has big plans to further boost arrivals from Southeast Asia this year with a series of campaigns and promotions. This includes participation in MATTA 2023, ADEX Ocean Mission 2023, and hosting a Maldives Roadshow in Southeast Asia.

In 2022, MMPRC conducted 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 in 2022.

The Maldives has welcomed the first tourist visitor for this year, Nikolai Stratichuk from Russia with a special ceremony held at Velana International Airport (VIA) on 1^st January 2023. It was a fantastic start to what promises to be a fantastic year for the Maldives Tourism Industry. Our first visitor for this year arrived on Etihad flight Etihad Airways EY278 at around 6:05 in the morning. He was greeted by senior officials from the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/Visit Maldives), along with executives from the Ministry of Tourism, Maldives Immigration and Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL). Nikolai was accompanied on this trip by his family. This is his first visit to the Maldives.

Nikolai received a 5-night stay at Reethi Faru Resort. Other special gifts were also conferred to the first visitor of 2022, including gifts from MMPRC, the Ministry of Tourism, MACL and Dhiraagu.

The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director (CEO and MD) of MMPRC expressed his delight with the awards and accolades that the Maldives received during the past year. He stated that:

“MMPRC and the Maldives Tourism Industry’s concerted drive to provide visitors with options to relax and rejuvenate after the effects of the global pandemic bore fruit as hundreds of thousands of visitors flocked to the Maldives with the assurances of a safe vacation. Thanks to ‘natural social distancing’ as an archipelago nation, the safety of holidaymakers in the Maldives is further enhanced under our distinctive ‘one island, one resort’ concept and close attention to covid safety guidelines at every turn. This past year has been one of immense success for the Maldives, winning award after award. We welcome the first visitor of 2023 with a smile on our faces, and the aim in our hearts to maintain the successes of last year.”

By the end of the fourth quarter of the preceding year, MMPRC had conducted over 88 marketing campaigns, 42 Fairs, 06 Roadshows, 10 Virtual Events, 17 FAM Trips, and 10 Other events were executed worldwide by the 4th Quarter of 2022 to promote Maldives as a tourist destination. The greatest testament to the success of these activities came at the end of last year, as the Maldives secured the title of ‘World’s Leading Destination’ (among several other accolades) at the 2022 World Travel Awards, globally recognised as the hallmark of industry excellence. This was the third consecutive year that the Maldives had successfully earned this prestigious title, a shining testimony of the trust placed in the ‘magic of Maldivian hospitality’ by travellers from all over the globe.

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 2022. Last year, MMPRC also secured the title of 'World's Leading Tourist Board' for the first time in our nation's history. Throughout the year the Maldives has also won several other awards while resorts, properties, tour operators, and travel agencies also won individual awards in the global arena.

The Minister of Tourism, Dr Abdulla Mausoom, also made a statement regarding the achievement of this national milestone.

“Appreciate the engagement and support of Travel and Tourism Industry stakeholders in achieving yet another milestone of Maldives Tourism success story. Congratulations all! This quick rebound of Maldives tourism to pre-pandemic level is a clear indication of the visionary leadership of His Excellency President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, sound tourism policies and the strong partnership between the government and the private sector”, the Minister said.

Last year, the Maldives achieved the 1.3 million tourist arrival mark set by the Government two months ahead of the forecasted date. This year’s 1.6 million tourist arrival figure is a 23.1 per cent increase compared to last year. The event concluded today to celebrate reaching the national target to welcome 1.6 million visitors in 2022 was spearheaded by MMPRC.

As of the fourth quarter of this year, MMPRC had conducted over 171 marketing and promotional activities including 88 marketing campaigns, 41 Fairs, 06 Roadshows, 10 Virtual Events, 17 Familiarisation Trips, and 09 other events worldwide to promote Maldives as a tourist destination. The greatest testament to the success of these activities came this year, as the Maldives secured the title of ‘World’s Leading Destination’ (among several other accolades) at the 2022 World Travel Awards, globally recognised as the hallmark of industry excellence. This is the third consecutive year that the Maldives had successfully earned this prestigious title, a shining testimony of the trust placed in the ‘magic of Maldivian hospitality’ by travellers from all over the globe.

This year, MMPRC also secured the title of 'World's Leading Tourist Board' for the first time in our nation's history. Throughout the year the Maldives has also won several other awards while resorts, properties, tour operators, and travel agencies also won individual awards in the global arena.