The Maldives is positioning itself within the growing creator economy with plans to host an international summit and awards programme aimed at bringing together digital creators, tourism stakeholders, and global platforms.
The World Creator Summit 2026 and World Creator Awards 2026 are scheduled to take place from 20 to 25 September, with the initiative developed by Visit Maldives in collaboration with the organisers of the World Travel Awards. The programme is designed as an invitation-only platform, with a focus on curated participation and long-term industry engagement.
The event is expected to bring together around 50 participants, including creators, publishers, platforms, and brand partners, with discussions centred on the evolving role of creator-led storytelling in tourism. Themes are expected to cover areas such as wellness, luxury, sustainability, culture, and innovation.
As part of the programme, organisers have outlined a combination of a high-level summit, an awards platform recognising excellence in digital storytelling and influence, and curated experiences across the Maldives aimed at facilitating content creation and international exposure.
The initiative is also intended to strengthen the Maldives’ visibility across key tourism markets, including India, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, France, Germany, and Italy. Authorities indicated that the programme forms part of broader efforts to adapt destination marketing strategies to changing audience behaviours, where digital creators play a more central role.
To support delivery, Visit Maldives Corporation has entered into a collaboration with the World Travel Awards to assist with programme development and international positioning, while Creatoll, the corporation’s dedicated creator platform, will serve as a core component of the event framework.
The partnership was formalised during a signing ceremony in Malé, attended by Visit Maldives Corporation CEO and Managing Director Ibrahim Shiuree and Justin Cooke, Executive Vice President of the World Travel Awards.
Officials stated that the programme is intended to establish the Maldives as a recurring platform for discussions on creator-led media and destination storytelling, reflecting broader shifts in how tourism markets are shaped and promoted globally.
