The Maldives drew strong interest at this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM), showcasing its distinctive island environment, high-end resort services and culture to tourism industry representatives from around the world.
The Maldives is known in international markets for its white sandy beaches, the natural beauty of its lagoons, high-end resort services and Maldivian culture. Unlike other countries, the Maldives consists of separate islands, and this year’s ATM featured significant efforts to give visitors an opportunity to experience its distinctive environment.
As part of these efforts, the Maldives presented a 517-square-metre stand designed to give visitors a sense of the Maldivian marine environment. The stand also offered visitors an opportunity to experience aspects of Maldivian culture and sample varieties of light food commonly enjoyed by Maldivians.
Three-dimensional photographs and screens at the stand highlighted the Maldives’ distinctive environment, drawing positive remarks from visitors.
Arabian Travel Market is the largest tourism fair held in the Middle East, bringing together thousands of people involved in the tourism industry from around the world to strengthen business connections.
Maldivian resorts, airlines and representatives directly and indirectly involved in the tourism industry used the fair to strengthen strategic partnerships.
ATM is now in its 32nd year, while the Maldives has participated in the fair and promoted its tourism industry to international markets for many years. Tourism industry stakeholders say these efforts continue to produce positive results.
This year, 165 representatives from 74 Maldivian companies participated in the fair, including companies that have taken part in ATM for around two decades.
Speaking to PSM News, some participants described ATM as a golden opportunity to promote Maldivian tourism, particularly in Middle Eastern countries.
One operator extensively involved in the resort industry described ATM as the most beneficial fair for its business apart from TTM. The operator attributed this partly to the ease of travelling to the fair, adding that events held close to the high season generate significant benefits.
The operator said this year’s fair produced better results than expected despite the situation facing the Middle East.
ATM primarily aims to create opportunities for mutually beneficial joint ventures among different stakeholders in the tourism industry. During this year’s four-day fair, participants held numerous meetings and signed agreements with two airlines.
The Government believes the work carried out during this year’s fair will deliver benefits during the upcoming high season.