President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has visited the travel and tourism expo in London, World Travel Market (WTM), as part of his ongoing trip to the United Kingdom.

President Solih has touched down in London on Wednesday and is followed by a delegation of high-level Maldivian government officials, including Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom.

Over 58 Maldivian travel and tourism companies are participating in the WTM London, with an aim to promote the island nation as a tourist destination.

The Maldivian president met with representatives from the Maldives at the stand and applauded their efforts to promote the island nation’s tourism industry even in the face of hurdles revolving around the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

WTM is one of the largest and most significant global events for the travel and tourism markets and is held as a hybrid event this year. As such, the physical event will end on Wednesday, following which the virtual event will be held from November 8 – 9.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, WTM was held virtually in 2020.

WTM London brands itself as the discovery point for a new wave of ideas, technologies and solutions which would enable the next generation of travel businesses to emerge and thrive, this year.

The Maldivian president, leading a delegation of government officials, attended the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, where he delivered his National Statement on November 1.

This marks the first time a Maldivian leader is joining the climate change conference, in the span of 12 years.

Accompanied by a high-level delegation of government officials including the Speaker of Parliament and Former President Mohamed Nasheed, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shauna and the Special Envoy for Climate Change, Sabra Ibrahim Noordeen, the president arrived in Glasgow, Scotland on October 31.

A major event for Maldives, COP26 is a great opportunity to address the country’s sustainable development plans on the global stage. As such, the incumbent administration has been vocal in the fiscal strain and climate vulnerabilities faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) during preceding global forums.

It is also to be noted that the Maldives has announced an ambitious plan to achieve Net Zero by 2030.

Hosted by the United Kingdom in collaboration with Italy, COP26 brings parties together to fast-track action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Over 190 leaders across the globe will participate in the summit, scheduled to begin on Sunday. The summit will proceed until November 12.