ITB Berlin, the worlds leading trade show opens for the 53rd year at the Messe Berlin Expo Center in Berlin, Germany. Maldives has a strong presence in its delegation with 105 companies totaling over 270 representatives. Vice President his Excellency Faisal Naseem will be leading the Maldives delegation along with Minister of Tourism his Excellency Ali Waheed and Managing Director of MMPRC, Mr.Thoyyib Mohamed.
During this five-day event, officials will be meeting with industry professionals during the fair to explore means to further develop and strengthen the presence of the Maldives. In addition to business meetings conducted during the fair, the Maldives delegation will directly engage with major tour operators and top travel trade media at formal press briefing chaired by the Vice President of the Maldives His Excellency Faisal Naseem, the Minister of Tourism His Excellency Ali Waheed and the Managing Director of MMPRC Mr. Thoyyib Mohamed and top industry partners scheduled for the 6th of March 2019.
The Maldives stand is showcased at a two storey 405Sqm stand representing the culture and beauty of the destination. This year, the stand activities resemble that of the cultural Eid festivities and celebrations, bringing a touch of color and grandeur to the stand. Complimenting this, the Maldivian traditional Bodu Mas celebrations will give visitors a chance to experience local culture. The Maldives stand will also have a Spa corner by the Sun Siyam resorts. Other festive activities such as Maldivian Dances, performed by the local Goma group and live music by Equatic vibe, in addition to that lacquer work and other handicraft work will be carried out at the stand. A live food station is placed at the stand where food preparations are showcased to attract more visitors to the Maldives stand. The traditional food display where visitors can taste the Maldivian food is also placed at the stand which is one of the most attractive aspects of the Maldives stand for the visitors.
The most prestigious event for the Maldives representatives “Maldivian Night” was held on 6th of March 2019 at the Grand Hyatt Berlin where delegates from across the world participated. Looking at the German Market, by the end of 2018 117,532 arrivals were recorded, which is a growth of 4.8 percent compared to the previous year. Germany is one of the biggest traditional source markets for the Maldives and is currently the second largest in terms of arrival figures.
