Male’ Maldives, 14th September 2023 – Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), also known as Visit Maldives, is pleased to announce its participation in ITB China 2023 as the official Island Travel Partner. The event will take place from September 12 to 14, 2023, at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. This year, MMPRC is collaborating with 33 companies, bringing together 64 representatives to promote the Maldives within the Chinese market at ITB China 2023. This marks a significant milestone as the first B2B trade fair held in China since the pandemic began three years ago, and it signifies MMPRC’s first in-person participation in a physical tourism event in China following the reopening of global borders.
ITB China 2023 is one of the largest B2B exclusive trade shows focused on the Chinese travel market. The event serves as a comprehensive professional platform, attracting industry specialists from around the world, and offers various networking events to connect with potential agents and buyers from several key source markets.
The Visit Maldives stand has been carefully curated to provide attendees with an authentic glimpse of the Sunny Side of Life. Visitors can anticipate a dynamic array of activities, including meetings with Maldivian travel trade representatives. The stand features unique destination experiences, such as personalized calligraphy bookmarks and a photo backdrop showcasing libaas and feyli props, providing attendees with the opportunity for a Maldivian-style snapshot to take back home. Additionally, MMPRC will promote Visit Maldives’ Weibo and WeChat social media handles to enhance the brand presence in the market. The stand will also offer press packs containing detailed information about Visit Maldives and its co-exhibitors, along with promotional materials. On the last day, a special raffle will be conducted, offering two lucky winners the chance to win free holidays to the Maldives, sponsored by The Standard, Huruvalhi Maldives, and Kihaa Maldives, respectively.
Visit Maldives, in its role as the Island Travel Partner, enjoys the privilege of hosting a Networking Lunch, an exclusive gathering of 100 hosted buyers meticulously curated by the ITB China organizers. This event provides valuable networking opportunities, and MMPRC will engage in insightful discussions. Furthermore, MMPRC will promote the Maldives at the presentation hub, accommodating up to 80 potential buyers, and deliver an enticing destination presentation highlighting the Maldives and its offerings.
China has consistently been one of the most significant markets for the Maldives tourism industry. Direct flights from China to the Maldives resumed on January 18, 2023, following a three-year hiatus due to border closures prompted by the global Covid-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, as of September 5, 2023, the Maldives has welcomed a total of 123,824 arrivals from China, establishing it as the third-largest source market for the Maldives. Arrival numbers are steadily rising, approaching pre-pandemic levels.
Even during the border closures, MMPRC diligently conducted various marketing activities in the Chinese market to maintain the Maldives’ appeal as the top destination to visit once borders reopened. The Maldives has already achieved a significant milestone by surpassing one million tourist arrivals this year, marking an incredible success for the tourism sector. The target set for this year is 1.8 million tourists.
