Travel agents from leading travel agencies from India have arrived in the Maldives on an invitation by the Maldives Marketing and Public Relation Corporation (MMPRC) on a familiarization trip.
MMPRC disclosed that the team will be staying in the Maldives from 16th to 22nd July 2022.
MMPRC stated that the trip is conducted with the aim of maintaining the Maldives’ position as the top-of-the-mind destination in the Indian market.
The team consists of professionals from the media outlets which includes; I’m Travel Agent, MakeMyTrip, Nivalink, Aspen Vacations, and Holiday Karma. The team is hosted at Grand Park Kodhipparu, Crossroads Maldives and Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa.
MMPRC noted that the team will be experiencing the world-renowned Maldivian hospitality, unique experiences, and different cuisines at their host properties.
The Maldives Marketing and Public Relation Corporation highlights that the purpose of this trip is to create awareness in the Indian market about how the Maldives has recovered as a destination after the pandemic, as well as the unique products and experiences being offered for visitors.
MMPRC notes that the team will be able to market Maldives’ holidays with more precision and dedication after experiencing the products and service standards for themselves.
Arrival figures and bookings from India to the Maldives is expected to increase as a result of the trip.
So far this year, MMPRC has held a destination e-learning campaign with 2HUB, influencer familiarization trips, and celebrity familiarization trips.
They have also taken part in leading fairs such as OTM 2022, Satte 2022, TTF.
The Corporation has also held a Maldives roadshow in India, followed by participation at MILT Congress 2022.
There are currently two digital campaigns ongoing, with Thomas Cook and PickyourTrail.
Additionally, MMPRC is also conducting a promotion on Vistara Inflight magazine.
MMPRC states that there are several other marketing and advertising activities in the pipeline for the Indian market.
As of 29th June 2022, India is the leading source market for the Maldives this year with over 119,967 tourists visiting the destination from this market. India contributed 14.8 percent to the market share from the total 809,603 arrivals recorded to the Maldives during this period.
India was also the largest market in 2021 with over 278,740 travelers and a market share of 22.6 percent. Similarly, India was the largest market in 2020 with an arrival figure of 62,960 and a market share of 11.3 percent.
As the company responsible for marketing the Maldives as a destination abroad, MMPRC carried out 260 different marketing activities in 22 global markets last year. These include fairs, roadshows, familiarization trips, marketing campaigns, webinars, and interviews.
MMPRC highlights Maldives securing the title of ‘World’s Leading Destination’ (among several other accolades) at the 2021 World Travel Awards, as the greatest testament to the success of these activities. World Travel Awards is globally recognized as the hallmark of industry excellence. This is the second 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 travelers from all over the world.
