Maldives participated in the Thai Silk Fashion Week from 18th to 21st of November 2019 and Grand Fashion Extravaganza held on 23rd of November 2019 to promote the Maldives as a Tourist Destination and to strengthen the bilateral relation between Maldives and Thailand.
Maldives participation at the Thai Silk Fashion week was organized by the Embassy of the Republic of The Maldives in Thailand with the immense support of the Ambassador of the Republic of Maldives to the Kingdom of Thailand Mr. Mohamed Jinah the Maldives and Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Maldives to the Kingdom of Thailand Ms. Huda Shareef.
This is a great initiative and for the first time, the Maldives made a mark in integrating Maldivian culture and fashion at the 9th Celebration of Silk: Thai Silk Road to the World 2019. MMPRC’s strategy to market the Maldives as a tourist destination worldwide in 2020 will include reaching to potential niche segments.
Famous local fashion designers Ms. Moonisa Luthufee (Mooni) and Ms. Asiyath Shimla (Shimla) showcased their designs during the fashion week inspired by the traditional Maldivian dresses. The dresses displayed during the fashion week by Maldivian fashion designers were tailored using Thai Silk. This was a great opportunity to promote the culture and tourism of the Maldives on an international platform. 31 ambassadors from 71 countries showcased their designs at the Grand Fashion Extravaganza and the Maldives’ designs were presented by Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Maldives to the Kingdom of Thailand Ms. Huda Shareef.
During the event, the beauty of Maldives was shown through the destination video on the main screen. Promotional materials such as information brochures were also distributed during the event. The event was covered by international media and local media in Thailand.
This project celebrating Thai silk is organized in honor of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother called “Celebration of Silk – Thai Silk Road to the World.” This is the 9th annual celebration of Silk. 71 countries displayed their cultural dresses during the fashion show and famous designers including Jimmy Choo participated in the fashion show. Since 2010, the Thai Tourist Assistance Foundation, in collaboration with members of the foreign diplomatic corporations in Bangkok, has organized the Celebration of Silk project to exhibit traditional and modern Thai silk and design.
Thailand is one of the top markets among the South East Asian countries with promising growth of tourist arrivals with over 25,334 arrivals by the end of October 2019. Thailand is one of the highest performing markets to the Maldives in the South East Asian region accounting for 14% of total market share by the end of October 2019.