Maldives has taken part in the 50th BOOT Fair in Messe Dusseldorf, Germany. The fair is one of the largest water sports trade events in the world. This year, the fair is focused on the motto "360° Water Sports Experience."
Over 1,900 exhibitors from 68 countries will be showcasing products in 14 categories in the exhibition. 250,000 visitors from 90 nations are expected to visit the fair this year. 10 Participants from 5 different companies from Maldivian tourism industry have travelled to Dusseldorf for the exhibition. The delegation from Maldives is led by Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC). This year's fair will introduce several interactive activities for visitors including dive experiences, surfing, water sports and electronic sports.
With 99% water and the unique underwater beauty, Maldives has traditionally been a dive destination and continues to attract divers every year. Based on the preliminary findings of the Maldives Visitor Survey conducted in September 2016, 16% of the tourists were motivated to visit Maldives because of its underwater beauty.
As this is an important aspect of the destination, MMPRC said promoting underwater beauty is essential and BOOT fair is an ideal platform to reach the goals. Germany remains the second largest source market for the tourism industry of Maldives. By November 2018, a total of 106,660 German tourists visited the Maldives. It is a 3.5% growth with 8% market share.