Discussions held on enhancing tourism cooperation between Maldives and India

Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) has held discussions with the Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives Munu Mahawar on enhancing travel and tourism cooperation between Maldives and India.

The discussions took place during a meeting held at the Indian High Commission in the Maldives.

In a statement regarding the meeting, MATATO said they expressed their intention to collaborate closely with the Indian High Commission in Maldives to bolster tourism initiatives. In this trajectory, plans are currently underway to launch a comprehensive roadshow across key Indian cities and to facilitate influencer and media familiarization trips to the Maldives in the upcoming months.

While India remains a crucial tourist market to the Maldives, MATATO states they look forward to partnering with prominent travel associations and industry stakeholders across India to further promote the Maldives as a premier travel destination.

They attributed the meeting with the Indian High Commissioner as a testament to MATATO's continued dedication to fostering robust tourism ties between the Maldives and India, paving the way for transformative collaborations to drive sustainable growth in the region's tourism sector.

India was the top tourist market to the Maldives last year, however, currently stands at sixth in the top ten tourist market to the Maldives with 37,417 arrivals – accounting for 5.6 percent of the total 1,878,543 arrivals as of April 10th.

MATATO, nevertheless, expressed confidence that Maldives can regain the current decline in Indian tourists with support from industry and government agencies backed by the agency's innovative strategies to tap into India's burgeoning tourism market, showcasing resilience and adaptability in navigating evolving industry landscapes.