Visit Maldives launches its first virtual event management platform and targets Indian market

Visit Maldives has been ramping up the marketing effort of the south Asia archipelago, with an appearance at the Indian travel trade show SATTE and the launch of a new virtual event management platform, My Virtual Maldives. Features of the new platform include AI-powered matchmaking, smart lead generation, virtual booths, live video calls and 1-on-1 video meetings and a networking lounge. Each area of the platform depicts a unique charm of the Maldives presented in 3D graphics. The Isles Main Lobby portrays the unique geographical formation of the scattered islands and directs to various other areas of the platform, including the Barefoot Beach Conference and a Sunny side Exhibition Hall. Additionally, there are functions such as translation services, interactive features for engagement and the support function that assists users navigate through the platform via a chat function. The first event hosted on My Virtual Maldives was a webinar training series for the French travel trade. The tourism board says that its digital first strategy, alongside traditional methods, is making a mark on its target markets and reflected in the tourist arrival numbers. Minister of tourism Dr Abdulla Mausoom and Thoyyib Mohamed, MD of Visit Maldives, recently took their marketing message to the SATTE show in Greater Noida, India, hosting a media briefing where they outlined Maldives’ claims to be one of the safest destinations to travel to due to its unique geographic isolation. The Maldives’ ‘3V’ strategy of Visiting, Vaccinating and Vacationing is following on from a successful programme of all hospitality industry workers being vaccinated on the islands. The tourism chiefs say they are targeting 1.5 million visitors this year and 23% of those arrivals are expected to come from India. For 2021 Maldives is expecting 10 million room nights to be booked, with the authorities investing in real estate, procuring private islands and integrated tourism products. The country’s four airports service five airlines and a fifth airport is in the planning stage.