Male’, Maldives, 2nd January 2024 – The Maldives commenced its tourism calendar by warmly welcoming Benjamin Duncan Moore as the year’ 2024’s first tourist. The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/Visit Maldives) orchestrated a special event at Velena International Airport to commemorate this significant milestone. Benjamin, a British national arriving on flight EY278 from Abu Dhabi, embarked on his journey to the Maldives, opting for a leisurely holiday at Villa Nautica.
The welcoming committee, comprising officials from the Ministry of Tourism, MMPRC/Visit Maldives, Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), Maldives Immigration, Dhivehi Raajjeyge Gulhun Public Limited (Dhiraagu), and Crossroads Maldives, greeted Benjamin upon his arrival. The presence of Minister of Tourism, Honourable Ibrahim Faisal, Deputy Managing Director of MMPRC, Mr. Mohamed Bassam Adam, Deputy Chief Officer AOCC & Customer Relations of MACL, Mr. Ibrahim Hareef, Deputy Head of Airport Division Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Mr. Ali Sunan, Director Brand and Marketing Communications from Dhiraagu, Mr. Mohamed Mirshan Hassan, and General Manager of Crossroads Maldives, Mr. Alexander Traeger, added significance to the occasion.
Acknowledging the historic moment, Benjamin received a complimentary holiday package from Crossroads Maldives, entailing stays at SAii Lagoon Maldives and Hard Rock Hotel Maldives. Furthermore, he received special gifts from the Ministry of Tourism, MMPRC, MACL, Maldives Immigration, and Dhiraagu.
Reflecting on the accomplishments of the preceding year, MMPRC outlined its robust marketing initiatives, encompassing 402 campaigns, such as fairs, roadshows, familiarization trips, webinars, and interviews, collectively reaching a vast audience of 46,791,558,024. Notably, the Maldives secured the title of WTA’s ‘World’s Leading Destination’ for the fourth consecutive year and was recognized with the Global Tourism Resilience Award for its adept recovery strategies post-disruptions. Numerous awards were garnered by the Maldives, including accolades for resorts, properties, tour operators, and travel agencies in the global tourism landscape.
Looking ahead in 2024, the focus for the Maldives lies in implementing innovative, research-based methodologies to propel the tourism industry. Leveraging data-driven insights, collaborative efforts with stakeholders, NGOs, local councils, and associations will be prioritized to envision sustainable tourism growth. Strengthening social media presence and conducting targeted marketing campaigns will be instrumental in expanding outreach efforts.
