Local

Visit Maldives concludes WTM London 2021 with 58 industry partners

Published

2 years ago

04/11/2021

MNN

Visit Maldives successfully concludes WTM London 2021 with 58 industry partners. WTM London 2021 was held from 1st to 3rd November.

The World Travel Market London (WTM London) is one of the leading global events for the travel industry to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals. Through its industry networks and unrivalled global reach, WTM London creates personal and business opportunities, providing customers with quality contacts, content and communities. This year for the first time in history WTM is being held as a hybrid event and the physical fair is taking place after a year’s break due to the covid-19 situation in the UK.

A total of 102 representatives from 58 companies participated in the event along with Visit Maldives. The purpose of participating in this event was to connect and network with industry stakeholders, travel trade partners from the UK market and around the globe. Industry partners were expected to meet up to 150 industry stakeholders during the event.

Maldives was exhibited in a 609sqm stand space, one of the biggest stand spaces to be exhibited in recent times. This event assisted Maldives in maintaining the destination presence as one of the safest destinations to travel, due to the unique geographical formation of the islands, allowing natural social distance for travelers. WTM is also a great platform to market our resorts, hotels, guesthouses and liveaboards, and inform travel trade and travelers of the strict measures in place at these facilities, established to ensure the safety of travelers. Through the event we informed travel agencies and tour operators of the latest destination information and travel guidelines.

During the event Visit Maldives and industry partners conducted one-on-one meetings in person and virtually. It provided a platform to the stakeholders to promote individual products and properties. A press conference was also held by Managing Director and CEO of MMPRC, Thoyyib Mohamed, the Minister of Tourism, Dr. Abdullah Mausoom and Ms Zuley Manik Executive Director of Sun Siyam Resorts on the second day of WTM. A special VIP event was held on the last day of the WTM London 2021 which was attended by his excellency, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Visit Maldives also held a Roadshow in the UK to promote MICE opportunities available in the destination after the conclusion of WTM London 2021.

In 2019 WTM was held with over 5,000 exhibitors and reached more than 51,000 visitors. A total of 935,129 business meetings were held during the WTM 2019. 3,000 members of the international media attend the event each year to report on the latest stories relating to the global travel trade industry.

UK is the 8th top source market to the Maldives as per the most recent statistics. So far this year Maldives had welcomed over 1 million tourists to the country, out of which 2.6 percent, or 29,224 were from the UK.

So far this year, we have held media interview, beachcombers destination training, global campaign with Skyscanner, joint marketing campaign with TripAdvisor, Turquoise Holiday, multi media campaign with ABTA Magazine, digital marketing campaign with Expedia, participated in the The National Wedding Show held in the UK. Upcoming activities for the UK market includes joint marketing campaigns with British Airways, TV advertising and outdoor advertising campaigns.

Visit Maldives continues to hold several activities, including webinars, familiarization trips, joint marketing campaigns with local and international stakeholders, while also participation in major and minor fairs and exhibitions in order to increase arrivals and maintain destination presence across the globe. These activities are targeted towards top, new and emerging markets as per our strategies.

Source: Visit Maldives.

Local

Nasheed to form new party

Published

11 months ago

17/05/2023

The main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s leader Mohamed Nasheed has decided to form a new political party.

Nasheed initiated a separate political movement within MDP, ‘Fikuregge Dhirun’, following his loss in MDP’s presidential primary held back in January. After major conflicts with the government and its policies – all lawmakers from the faction tendered their resignation from MDP on Wednesday.

The move came after Central Henveiru MP Ali Azim was expelled from the party on Tuesday and banned from rejoining for at least one year over involvement in opposition political activities surrounding the Chagos archipelago dispute.

The 12 members who resigned from MDP on Wednesday are;

Parliament’s Deputy Speaker, North Galolhu MP Eva Abdulla
Ungoofaaru MP Mohamed Waheed (Wadde)
North Maafannu MP Imthiyaz Fahumy (Inthi)
West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef
Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb
North Kulhudhuffushi MP Yasir Abdul Latheef
Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef
Central Maafannu MP Ibrahim Rasheed (Bonde)
Madaveli MP Hussain Firushan
Thoddoo MP Hassan Shiyan (Gita)
North Mahchangoalhi MP Mohamed Rasheed (Boadhigu)
Gadhdhoo MP Ahmed Zahir
All 12 members are close acquittances of Nasheed. MP Hassan Latheef, during a meeting at Bodufenvalhuge on Wednesday, announced Nasheed’s decision to form a new political party. The meeting was attended by supporters of Nasheed.

Should Nasheed form a new political party, that party would be the largest opposition party in terms of members in the parliament, thereby, the minority party. The minority party at present, opposition PPM-PNC coalition has only eight members in the parliament.

Despite the resignation of the 12 MPs, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih continues to hold full control of the Parliament with 56 MPs.

Source(s): sun.mv

Local

MPs loyal to Nasheed leave MDP

Published

11 months ago

17/05/2023

Multiple members of the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) loyal to the party’s leader Mohamed Nasheed have left the party.

The members who resigned from MDP include 12 MPs. They include Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla, MP Mohamed Waheed, MP Imthiyaz Fahmy (Inthi), MP Hassan Latheef, MP Ilyas Labeeb, MP Yasir Abdul Latheef, MP Hassan Afeef, MP Ibrahim Rasheed (Bonde), MP Hussain Firushan, MP Hassan Shiyan, MP Mohamed Rasheed (Boadhigu), and MP Ahmed Zahir.

They submitted their resignation letters Wednesday.

The move comes after MDP’s parliamentary group had requested action against Inthi, Hassan Latheef, Ilyas, Yasir, and Central Henveiru MP Ali Azim earlier this week, for forming an alliance with the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Jumhoory Party (JP) and Maldives National Party (MNP), after accusing the government of failure to protect the interests of the Maldivian people in the case lodged with the International Tribunal of the Law of the Seas (ITLOS) over the disputed maritime territory between Maldives and Mauritius.

The party’s disciplinary committee decided to expel Azim from the party on Tuesday.

They are all members of Nasheed’s ‘Fikuregge Dhirun’ faction.

However, Nasheed has yet to resign from the party.

Despite the resignation of the 12 MPs, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih continues to hold full control of the Parliament with 56 MPs.

Source(s): sun.mv

Local

The Cambodian Prime Minister arrives in the Maldives on an official visit

Published

1 year ago

15/01/2023

The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, arrived Sunday morning on an official visit to the Maldives at the invitation of H.E. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. It is Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen’s first visit to the Maldives.

The Cambodian Prime Minister and accompanying delegation were received at Velana International Airport (VIA) by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulla Shahid (ODRI). The government will hold a ceremony on Monday to officially welcome the Cambodian Prime Minister to the Maldives.

During the visit, President Solih would meet with Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen and hold official talks on strengthening bilateral cooperation, followed by the exchange of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the two countries. President Solih and the Cambodian Prime Minister would also deliver a joint statement on the outcomes of their discussions.

The Maldives and Cambodia established diplomatic relations on September 21, 1995.

Source(s): President Office.