Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) is strengthening the Maldives’ presence in the Indian and wider South Asian travel market through its participation in ITB India 2026, being held from 1 to 3 September at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. The three-day business-to-business travel exhibition provides an important international platform for promoting the Maldives’ tourism offering while expanding commercial engagement with travel trade representatives, tour operators and industry decision-makers across the region.
Visit Maldives is participating alongside 17 co-exhibitors representing the Maldivian tourism and aviation sectors, creating a coordinated industry presence designed to showcase the diversity, accessibility and international appeal of the destination. The Maldives stand is facilitating direct engagement with travel agents, tour operators, corporate travel managers, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) planners and other tourism stakeholders through one-to-one business meetings and targeted trade activities.
The participation provides Maldivian tourism businesses with an opportunity to establish new commercial relationships, strengthen existing partnerships and present their products directly to travel professionals responsible for developing holiday packages and travel programmes for Indian and South Asian customers. It also supports broader national efforts to maintain the Maldives’ visibility in one of the region’s largest outbound travel markets.
The Maldives continues to distinguish itself globally through its extensive portfolio of island resorts, private-island experiences, guesthouses and premium hospitality properties spread across its atolls. Its resort sector remains at the centre of the country’s international tourism appeal, offering travellers access to secluded island environments, high-quality accommodation, marine experiences, family-oriented holidays, water sports, diving, dining experiences and personalised hospitality. The one-island-one-resort concept has also helped establish the Maldives as one of the world’s most recognisable luxury and leisure destinations while allowing individual resorts to develop distinctive identities and guest experiences.
For Indian travellers in particular, the Maldives benefits from its geographical proximity and air connectivity, making the destination suitable for both shorter leisure breaks and longer premium holidays. The availability of a broad range of accommodation categories, from high-end private-island resorts to locally operated guesthouses, has also enabled the destination to cater to different traveller profiles and spending preferences. Continued engagement with airlines and travel trade partners is expected to further support connectivity and package development between the two countries.
At ITB India 2026, the Maldives stand is being used to share destination information, tourism updates and promotional materials with industry partners. Promotional videos highlighting the natural beauty and tourism experiences available across the Maldives are being presented throughout the exhibition, while a dedicated photo backdrop provides an additional interactive feature for visitors.
Travel trade representatives visiting the stand are also being invited to participate in a survey designed to gather insights into market trends, travel preferences and booking behaviour. The findings are expected to provide Visit Maldives and industry stakeholders with additional understanding of changing consumer expectations and travel patterns within the Indian and South Asian markets. Participants in the survey are also eligible to take part in a raffle giveaway.
Visit Maldives’ presence at ITB India forms part of its continuing engagement with the Indian travel industry and complements a wider portfolio of destination marketing initiatives targeting the market. Current and planned activities include joint marketing campaigns with leading tour operators, a joint marketing programme with IndiGo, familiarisation trips for media representatives and influencers, and promotional activities conducted in collaboration with the High Commission of the Republic of Maldives in India.
The partnership with travel operators is particularly significant in strengthening the Maldives’ distribution network in India, as tour operators and travel agencies remain important channels for promoting resort holidays, family travel, premium experiences and customised Maldives packages. Cooperation with IndiGo is also expected to reinforce destination visibility alongside air connectivity, helping position the Maldives prominently among Indian travellers considering international leisure destinations.
India remains an important source market for Maldivian tourism. A total of 131,625 visitors from India travelled to the Maldives during 2025, while 74,173 Indian tourist arrivals had been recorded as of 10 August 2026. The figures underline the continued importance of the Indian market as the government and tourism industry work to strengthen visitor flows and diversify the country’s international source markets.
The government’s tourism promotion strategy has increasingly focused on sustained engagement with international travel partners, airlines, media organisations and destination marketing channels, supporting the Maldives’ position as a competitive global tourism destination. Participation in major travel exhibitions such as ITB India provides the country with direct access to industry professionals who influence travel decisions, develop tourism products and connect destinations with large consumer markets.
Through ITB India 2026, Visit Maldives is promoting the country’s established resort tourism sector alongside its expanding range of travel experiences while gathering market intelligence that can support future promotional strategies. The participation also reflects continued public-private cooperation between Visit Maldives and tourism industry stakeholders in strengthening the Maldives’ international profile and sustaining tourism growth.
With its combination of private-island resorts, tropical surroundings, distinctive marine environment, convenient regional accessibility and internationally recognised hospitality sector, the Maldives continues to offer a highly competitive tourism product for Indian and South Asian travellers. Continued trade engagement in India is expected to support stronger industry partnerships, increased destination awareness and further opportunities for the Maldives’ tourism sector across one of its most important regional markets.
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