Bucking international border closures and global travel restrictions owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Maldives is heading towards a successful tourism year in 2022, coinciding with the island nation celebrating its golden jubilee of tourism.

“We are hoping to break another milestone (in 2022) and welcome 1.6 million visitors this year,” remarked a confident Thoyyib Mohamed, managing director and CEO of the state-run Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).

The Maldives reopened her borders to tourists on July 15, 2020, after a brief three-month pandemic related lockdown, with rigorous procedures in place to ensure the safety of tourists and tourism workers.

Arrivals in 2021 hit 1.3 million, revelling in a period when few other destinations were open. Pre-pandemic, the year 2019 generated a record 1.7 million arrivals.

Mindful of Covid-19 travel constraints, MMPRC has relied heavily on promoting the destination through digital media, forging strong relationships with tourism companies to promote longhaul market recovery.

Mohamed told TTG Asia: “We had to adapt our marketing concepts towards online and digital events. We also conducted several social media campaigns to ensure that the world knew we were preparing and waiting to welcome them once it was safe to travel.

“This included a major campaign titled, Maldives, The Sun Will Shine Again, where we encouraged travellers to stay safe and visit the Maldives later.”

Throughout 2021, MMPRC carried out 260 different marketing activities in 22 global markets last year – all to ensure demand follows the destination’s open borders.

It also had multiple partnerships and engagements with major international travel brands and companies. For example, Kuoni France held a month-long campaign in partnership with the Maldives, where the destination was marketed through articles, photos, and newsletters on Kuoni’s digital and social platforms.

There were also destination marketing campaigns with Polish tour operator ITAKA; fam tours for travel writers from key source markets; a joint campaign with Italy’s Sporting Vacanze, a member of ASTOI, the Italian Association for Tour Operators; a global advertising agreement with BBC Global News; and a joint campaign with News UK, among others.

Despite Covid-19-related challenges, a number of new resorts opened in the Maldives last year. Many resorts are also on track to launch this year, including the Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa, and the Six Senses Kanuhura.

According to Dillip Rajakariar, group CEO of Minor International and CEO of Minor Hotels, the Maldives is a destination that can deliver a world-class experience on so many levels, thanks to its natural beauty, quality hotels, high levels of service and superb experiences.

“We have confidence in the future of the Maldives, so much so that we are launching our sixth property – the Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort – in the Baa Atoll in September this year,” he told TTG Asia.

Rajakariar expects easing travel restrictions across the globe to fuel demand for high-end destinations – the Maldives included.

Inigo Berastain, director, RIU Maldives, meanwhile, believes the Indian market, due to its proximity, will continue to be a very strong inbound market for the Maldives.

He is also confident that “the classic and strong markets” of Germany and the UK will continue to support the Maldives’ tourism recovery.

Berastain added that while there is a perception that the Maldives is a destination for honeymooners, RIU has been welcoming a wider variety of guests.

“We also receive families, groups of friends, people travelling alone, and corporate groups that decide to make their company trip here,” he revealed.

Travellers to the Maldives are often those who enjoy water activities, such as kayaking, scuba diving or surfing.

While the Maldives is widely popular for its one-island-one-resort concept, which provides guests with as much privacy as they desire, the destination also caters to all price points, from super-rich globetrotters to back-to-basics backpackers.

Mohamed said the Maldives is ready to welcome one and all, as accommodation inventory features resorts, hotels, guest houses, homestay options and liveaboards at different price ranges.

As such, the Maldives is also planning to court millennials, a group that currently makes up 40 per cent of the global travel market.

According to a recent Maldives Visitor Survey, statistics show that nearly half the visitors to the Maldives are below 35 years of age, while 60 per cent of them discovered the island nation on the Internet.

Concrete efforts in international promotions and destination management are being undertaken by the Filipino government to revive the business events sector in the Philippines.

Since the Philippines’ full reopening to vaccinated travellers in February, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) has focused its efforts on raising the country’s reputation as a premier business events destination, starting with its first-ever global MICE branding campaign. Currently in the works, the campaign will be unveiled sometime later this year.

Officials have also disclosed details on how TPB is planning to entice more domestic and international business events. On the cards is an enhanced MICE Plus Programme with cash subventions and better incentives. The TPB is also planning to increase its marketing expenditure, set up a MICE Ambassador Programme for local association executives to bid for international events, as well as update its MICE Roadmap 2020-2030.

TPB’s chief operating officer, Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones, added that the government will continue to participate in international travel tradeshows, as well as collaborate with both the private sector and local government units to help the Philippines regain her competitiveness.

Velasco-Allones’ hopes are buoyed by several international and corporate events scheduled this year, such as the World Travel and Tourism Council 21st Global Summit happening from April 20-22 in Manila, and the Clipper Round The World Race which left Subic Bay in February.

To help the Philippines in her quest for business events recognition, tourism consultant Jerome de la Fuente opined that aside from South-east Asian markets, the country should also court Indian outbound groups. India is one of the fastest-growing source markets for the Philippines although there are currently no direct flights between the two countries.

“The Philippine NTO should follow the lead of other Asian countries and tap into India’s (potential), especially pharmaceutical companies…and conglomerates,” detailed de la Fuente.

Pointing to India’s business events potential, de la Fuente said that in early March 2022, the Indian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines held a roadshow featuring India-based companies in Davao. This was its second roadshow, with the first held in 2020.

This shift in focus is needed because China – the Philippines’ second-largest inbound market pre-pandemic – still has a zero-Covid policy in place, where citizens are required to undergo lengthy quarantine upon their return.

Internally, most Philippine destinations are now considered business events ready, as airlines, convention centres, hotels and restaurants have utilised the business lull to revise their health and safety protocols to international standards, observed Bernadette de Leon, general manager of Manila-headquartered Amiable Intertours. Not a single business event held during the pandemic has resulted in the spread of Covid-19, proving that infections can be avoided in a controlled business event setting.

Another positive change, de Leon noted, is a stronger awareness among stakeholders of the importance of responsible tourism in sustaining their business and regaining travellers’ confidence.

And as more destinations in the Philippines come to realise the value of business events, more have invested in relevant development.

For example, Clark has been steadily growing in its business events appeal. Its international airport has been expanded, while road and transport infrastructure has been built up to better connect it with Manila and other parts of Central Luzon.

International hotel companies have taken notice, resulting in recent brand entries by Marriott and Swissotel. More brands are in the pipeline, such as Banyan Tree and Westin.

With its expanding cache of hotels, resorts and activities for corporate incentive programmes and meetings, Boracay is likewise angling for business events with the formation of its own Boracay MICE Alliance. Alliance president Elmar Lina shared that the Boracay Convention Center will also add an 800 pax event venue when it opens later this year.

Elsewhere, Iloilo is another destination that boasts its own MICE Alliance formed several years ago, while Bacolod will soon join Iloilo and Boracay to become a trio of business events destinations ready to attract business events to the Western Visayas.

Technology and digital transformation – such as hybrid events and contactless touchpoints – have also been fast-tracked in the sector.

Walid Wafik, senior vice president, SM Hotels and Convention Center (SMHCC), pointed out that these new practices will be around in the long run, and keeping up to date with innovations in hotels and convention centres will make the country a worthy competitor in South-east Asia.

When asked if constant innovation would raise the cost of conducting business events, Walid shared that SMHCC would not be raising rates, but would offer value deals and packages to clients instead.

“We need the industry to bounce back first. We will work towards 2019’s pre-pandemic volume, and the revenue will come later,” he told TTGmice.