The Sunny Side of Life: The Maldives’ diverse tourism showcase at ITB China 2024
The Maldives is ITB China’s Official Partner Destination this year, presenting a full tourism offer of natural beauty and rich cultural traditions
ITB China News spoke with Ms Fathmath Thaufeeq, CEO & Managing Director of MMPRC/Visit Maldives, about what the destination is presenting at the show, how this goes beyond sea, sand and sun, and the importance of Chinese travellers.
How did tourism perform in the Maldives in 2023? What are your goals and predictions moving forward?
The past year holds a great significance for us, finally surpassing pre-pandemic arrival numbers with over 1.8 million tourists by the end of the year. I don’t think it surprised anyone in the Maldives with how hard our tourism industry stakeholders have been working towards a complete recovery of the sector, but it is still a very substantial milestone for our island nation.
For this year, we have an even more ambitious goal of reaching 2 million visitors, and I am happy to report that we are definitely on track. In the first four months, the Maldives has already surpassed 750,000 visitors, more than a third of the final figure we are aiming to reach.
From luxurious adult-only escapes to family-friendly havens, the Maldives offers something for everyone.
The Maldives is the official partner destination of ITB China 2024. What are you highlighting at the show this year?
The Maldives stand at ITB China this year is focusing on showcasing the natural beauty of the “Sunny Side of Life” alongside fun and exciting displays of our rich culture and traditions. The Maldives stand at the fair is a dynamic and informative experience for visitors. We are facilitating productive B2B meetings and media interviews with travel professionals, while embarking on a sensory journey through the “Sunny Side of Life” with authentic Maldivian cuisine and cultural demonstrations. A major highlight for us this year is the press conference scheduled today, providing an invaluable platform for media engagement and industry dialogue. Throughout the fair, we will also be disseminating comprehensive promotional materials showcasing the latest products, services, and experiences available in the Maldives.
What experiences does the Maldives offer tourists beyond sun, sand and sea?
The Maldives transcends its reputation for sun, sand, and sea. We cater to diverse experiences, whether travellers prefer to dive beneath the waves with vibrant marine life or explore with liveaboard adventures. Travellers can immerse themselves in Maldivian culture through local island guesthouses which provide a glimpse into authentic life and the rich traditional cuisines. From luxurious adult-only escapes to family-friendly havens, the Maldives offers something for everyone. Each resort offers the ultimate privacy with our one-island-one-resort concept for ultimate relaxation. Whether you crave adventure, cultural immersion, a remote work escape, or a focus on wellness, the Maldives personalises experiences to individual desires.
The importance of Chinese tourists
Chinese tourists are very important to the Maldives. Ms Fathmath Thaufeeq underlined that excluding the pandemic, China has been one of the top arrival markets for the Maldives for a decade. Earlier this month, China became the number one source with 91,073 tourist arrivals. She pointed out that the revival of direct inbound tourists from China in 2024 has helped “propel the industry forward”: “We have recently initiated direct flights from various Chinese provinces, such as Fujian and Beijing, showcasing just how important inbound tourism from China is to the Maldives.”
Given the importance of this market, the Maldives is also aiming to adapt their tourism offer specifically for Chinese tourists. This includes strategic digital promotions on leading Chinese platforms, impactful visibility activations, and collaborative promotional efforts with key industry partners. Ms Fathmath Thaufeeq stated that this strategic approach, in addition to the resumption of direct flights, “has positioned the Maldives to solidify its position as the premier destination for Chinese travellers.”
STAND E 01
“Maldives Media Meet”
27 May 2024
2:00p.m.-3:00p.m.
Meeting Hub A
生活中充满阳光的一面：马尔代夫多元化旅游亮相2024 ITB China
马尔代夫是今年2024 ITB China的官方目的地合作伙伴，将展示丰富的旅游资源，从自然美景到深厚的文化传统。
马尔代夫旅游局——马尔代夫市场营销与公共关系公司（ MMPRC/Visit Maldives）的执行总裁兼首席执行官Fathmath Thaufeeq女士接受ITB China新闻采访，介绍该目的地在本届展会上的展示重点，除了阳光、沙滩和海洋之外，她还强调了中国游客的重要性。
问：2023年马尔代夫旅游业成绩如何？未来的目标和预测有哪些？
过去一年对马尔代夫旅游业来说意义重大，我们的接待人数超过了疫情前，全年达到了180万游客。马尔代夫的旅游产业从业者一直在为旅游业全面恢复而不懈努力，虽然得到这个结果并不令人意外，但对我们这个岛国来说仍然是一个非常重要的里程碑。
今年，我们的目标更雄心勃勃，希望达到200万游客。我很高兴目前的进展在我们的计划之内；2024年前四个月，马尔代夫已经接待了75万余游客，超过了目标的三分之一。
从豪华的成人度假胜地到适合家庭出游的避风港湾，马尔代夫为每个人都提供了丰富的选择。
问：马尔代夫是2024 ITB China的官方目的地合作伙伴，在展会上将有哪些展示重点？
今年马尔代夫的ITB展台将重点展示”生活中充满阳光的一面”一般的自然美景，以及丰富的本土文化和传统的现场激情再现。马尔代夫展台将为参观者提供充满丰富信息和活力的体验。我们组织了与旅游专业人士的高效B2B商务会议和媒体采访，同时通过原汁原味的马尔代夫美食和文化表演，带领大家进入“阳光下的生活”的感官之旅。今年的一个重点是今天的新闻发布会，为媒体参与和行业对话提供了宝贵的交流平台。在整个展会期间，我们还将发布生动详实的推广材料，展示马尔代夫的最新产品、服务和体验。
问：除了阳光、沙滩和海洋之外，马尔代夫还能给游客提供什么样的体验？
马尔代夫不仅仅是阳光、沙滩和海洋的代名词。我们还能提供多样化的体验，无论游客是喜欢与多样化的海洋生物一起浪中潜游，还是喜欢参与船宿潜水探险。游客可以在当地岛屿客栈深入了解马尔代夫文化，得以一窥真实的马尔代夫日常生活和丰富美食传统。从豪华的成人度假胜地到适合家庭出游的避风港湾，马尔代夫为每个人都提供了丰富的选择。一岛一度假村的概念为游客提供了绝对的隐私，达到极致的放松状态。无论您渴望冒险、文化融合、远程工作度假，还是关注健康养生，马尔代夫都能按照您的个人期望为您量身定制独特体验。
马尔代夫对中国旅游复苏的战略举措
中国游客对马尔代夫来说至关重要。Fathmath Thaufeeq女士强调，除了疫情期间，中国一直是马尔代夫十年来重要的游客来源市场之一。本月初，中国成为马尔代夫最大的客源地，共有91,073名游客抵达。她进一步指出，2024年中国直接入境游客的复苏有助于“推动行业向前发展”：“我们最近开通了多条来自中国各省市的直达航班，例如福建和北京，显示出中国入境游客对马尔代夫旅游业的重要性。”
鉴于中国市场的重要性，马尔代夫还计划专门为适应中国游客而调整旅游产品。包括在中国主要旅游平台上进行战略数字推广，提高影响力和能见度，以及与关键行业合作伙伴的联合推广努力等。Fathmath Thaufeeq女士表示，这些战略措施，加上直达航班的逐步恢复，“巩固了马尔代夫在中国游客心目中首选目的地的地位”。
STAND E 01
马尔代夫旅游新闻发布会
2024年5月27日
时间：下午 2:00-3:00
地点：会议中心 A
