The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) is set to embark on a new marketing initiative targeting visitors from the Arab World next year, MMPRC Managing Director Ibrahim Shiuree has announced.
The Arab World, which includes countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, has not previously been the focus of MMPRC’s marketing and promotional campaigns. However, this is set to change with the upcoming roadshow, said Shiuree, during an interview on PSM News’ ‘Khidhumaiytherin’ programme.
According to Shiuree, the roadshow will target all countries in the Middle East. “We recently met with [officials from] Saudi [Arabia], Qatar, Dubai [United Arab Emirates], and Gulf Air from Bahrain. They are very supportive. Following their advice, we have also included Bahrain. Next year, you will see us holding roadshows and marketing activities focused on the Middle East,” he said.
A total of 67,224 tourists from the Middle Eastern region visited the Maldives during the first 10 months of 2024, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism. This new initiative aims to further increase these numbers by promoting the Maldives as a premier tourist destination in the Arab World, Shiuree added.
MMPRC’s marketing and promotional campaigns are strategically developed based on current travel and market trends. Earlier this year, MMPRC focused on the Indian market in response to a decline in arrival figures from India. As part of this initiative, roadshows were conducted in three major cities in India, leading to an increase in tourist arrivals from the country.