Visit Maldives has partnered with Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), to drive more Middle East travel to the Maldives.
According to a press release by Wego, the partnership will focus on promoting the Maldives as one of the most preferred destinations within the market through content led campaigns across the digital and social media platforms as well as virtual activities that are in the pipeline, aiming to maintain the destination presence.
Thoyyib Mohamed, Managing Director of MMPRC said: “With the Middle Eastern market showing great promise and arrival numbers post the lock-down period, launching a joint marketing campaign with Wego – one of the most prominent & well-known establishments within the region is sure to generate conversion numbers that can show an even stronger shift from the GCC region towards our island-nation. This campaign would also ensure that the Maldives is promoted not just as a romantic destination, but a holiday getaway for families & single travellers as well. We are definitely delighted to commence this collaboration and hope that our efforts in marketing Maldives will be successful.”
Mamoun Hmedan, Managing Director, MENA and India, Wego, said, “Maldives is gaining great recognition in its efforts to make the island a safe destination for travelers. It is a very versatile destination and takes you to the sunny side of life which is much needed during the pandemic. We look forward to forge a long-lasting partnership with Visit Maldives, offering the best travel experience to our users.”
The island nation reopened its international borders on July 15, 2020, after temporarily closing the borders due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Tourists are not required to quarantine upon arrival; however, they need to submit an online health declaration form within 24 hours prior to departure and are requested to provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test result conducted within 96 hours prior to departure.
The island nations promotional board, MMPRC Maldives Immigration and the Ministry of tourism has been working together with the industry stakeholders implementing several plans and marketing campaigns after the pandemic and has achieved many milestones in the recovery of the tourism. It has received the “Safe Travels Stamp” by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in recognition of its efforts to implement enhanced health and safety measures. It also commenced the vaccination drive across the country on 1st February.