The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), also known as Visit Maldives, is currently participating in the Moscow Dive Show 2024, which is being held from the 8th to the 11th of February at the Gostinyi Dvor Exhibition Centre in Moscow, Russia. This event provides an excellent opportunity for MMPRC and its four industry partners to engage with both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) segments in Russia, focusing on diving and underwater activities.
The Moscow Dive Show is recognised as the premier exhibition in Russia and the CIS for diving equipment, tourism, and training, catering to those passionate about an active lifestyle and water-based sports. With activities including diving, spearfishing, freediving, and underwater photography, the show attracts a wide range of participants, from industry professionals to enthusiasts.
This year, MMPRC aims to highlight the Maldives’ vibrant underwater world, renowned for its diverse marine life and seascapes. The Maldives is considered a top dive destination globally, offering over 2,000 marine species across various diving spots in each atoll, some of which remain unexplored. Visitors have the unique opportunity to see whale sharks all year round, in addition to manta rays, turtles, and nudibranchs.
To ensure a strong presence in the Russian market, Visit Maldives has developed a comprehensive strategy that includes leveraging social media through influencers, outdoor advertising, publication coverage through familiarisation trips, and advertising campaigns across both social and conventional media. Special emphasis is placed on using local languages and popular Russian social media platforms like VK, Telegram, and Facebook to increase market penetration and engagement.
Russia has been a significant source market for the Maldives, with the country welcoming 201,954 Russian visitors in 2022, making it the top source market for that year. The trend continued into 2023, with 208,041 arrivals, positioning Russia as the second top source market. In response, MMPRC has engaged in various marketing activities targeted at the Russian market, including participation in the Moscow Dive Show, social media marketing initiatives, engagements with luxury travel partners, and joint marketing promotions, among others.
For the first quarter of the year, MMPRC plans to continue its efforts to solidify the Maldives’ presence in the Russian market through joint marketing promotions, familiarisation trips, and other strategic initiatives, aiming to keep the destination top of mind for Russian travellers.
