The Maldives has strengthened its tourism presence across key CIS markets following the successful conclusion of the “I AM Maldives CIS Region Roadshow”, which connected Maldivian tourism businesses with more than 250 travel trade professionals across Moscow, St. Petersburg and Almaty.
Organised by the National Hotels and Guesthouse Association of Maldives (NHGAM), together with Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) and the Maldives Association of Travel Agents & Tour Operators (MATATO), the roadshow was held from 21 to 25 September 2026 and formed part of ongoing industry efforts to expand the Maldives’ visibility, strengthen commercial partnerships and promote the country’s diverse tourism offerings in high-potential international markets.
The three-city programme brought together 26 companies and more than 50 participants representing a broad cross-section of the Maldivian tourism industry, including resorts, guesthouses, hotels, liveaboards and travel agencies. Through direct business-to-business engagement, participating companies were able to introduce their products and services to travel agents, tour operators and industry decision-makers while strengthening established partnerships and developing new commercial connections across the region.
According to Visit Maldives Corporation, more than 250 travel trade professionals attended the events held in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Almaty. The strong turnout provided the Maldivian delegation with an opportunity to engage directly with professionals responsible for promoting and selling holiday destinations across Russia, Kazakhstan and the wider CIS region.
The roadshow also highlighted the breadth of tourism experiences available across the Maldives, ranging from internationally recognised luxury resorts and private island retreats to locally operated guesthouses, hotels, liveaboards and specialised travel experiences. This diversity has become an increasingly important strength of the Maldives tourism sector, allowing the destination to cater to different market segments while maintaining its global reputation for premium island hospitality.
Maldivian resorts continue to remain at the heart of the country’s tourism offering, combining private island settings, high-quality accommodation, premium dining, recreation, marine experiences and personalised hospitality. The participation of resort operators in the roadshow provided travel trade partners with direct access to information on accommodation options, new products, seasonal packages and experiences available across the destination.
The Maldives’ resort sector has also continued to evolve in response to changing international travel preferences, with properties expanding family-oriented offerings, wellness programmes, marine activities, sustainability initiatives, premium villas and personalised guest experiences. These developments, combined with the country’s natural advantages of tropical islands, white-sand beaches and clear lagoons, continue to support the Maldives’ strong position in the international leisure travel market.
At the same time, the participation of guesthouses and local tourism businesses allowed the roadshow to highlight the growing range of experiences available on inhabited islands. Local island tourism gives international visitors greater access to Maldivian communities, culture, traditional lifestyles and locally operated hospitality businesses, complementing the country’s established resort tourism sector and supporting the distribution of tourism benefits across communities.
NHGAM President Abdulla Nasheed said the successful conclusion of the roadshow represented an important step in the association’s continued work to promote local island tourism in major international markets. He said Moscow, St. Petersburg and Almaty provided valuable opportunities for association members to connect directly with travel trade professionals and increase awareness of the wide range of experiences available across the Maldives.
Nasheed also expressed satisfaction with the level of engagement recorded throughout all three cities, highlighting the value of sustained interaction with international travel professionals in supporting future tourism growth and strengthening demand for Maldivian tourism products.
NHGAM Vice President Ahmed Waheed said the strong participation and engagement received across Moscow, St. Petersburg and Almaty demonstrated the importance of the CIS region to the Maldives tourism industry. He said the roadshow enabled the Maldivian delegation to present a broad range of accommodation and travel experiences while reinforcing relationships with partners operating across the region.
Waheed thanked participating businesses, tourism stakeholders and industry partners for contributing to the successful completion of the three-city programme.
The CIS region remains an important source of visitors to the Maldives, supported by strong demand for island holidays and expanding travel connections. Russia recorded 278,761 tourist arrivals to the Maldives in 2025, representing a 23.8 percent year-on-year increase and demonstrating the market’s continued importance to the country’s tourism industry.
According to Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation statistics, Russia remained the Maldives’ second-largest tourism source market in 2026, with 209,815 arrivals recorded as of 2 September. Russian visitors accounted for 14.6 percent of total tourist arrivals during the period, maintaining the country’s position among the Maldives’ most significant international markets.
Kazakhstan has also developed into an important emerging market for the Maldives. The country ranked 11th among source markets as of June 2026, recording 18,602 tourist arrivals and accounting for approximately 1.8 percent of the Maldives’ total arrivals.
The performance of these markets reflects the broader success of the Maldives’ tourism promotion strategy, which continues to focus on strengthening engagement with established source markets while expanding awareness in emerging destinations. Government-led destination promotion, supported by close collaboration between Visit Maldives Corporation and tourism industry associations, has helped maintain the Maldives’ visibility across major international markets.
Strengthening air connectivity is also expected to support further growth from the CIS region by making the Maldives more accessible to travellers and enabling tour operators to develop competitive holiday packages. Continued cooperation between airlines, tourism businesses, travel agents and destination marketing organisations is expected to create additional opportunities for attracting visitors from Russia, Kazakhstan and neighbouring markets.
The successful conclusion of the I AM Maldives CIS Region Roadshow reflects the coordinated efforts of the Government and tourism industry to maintain the Maldives’ position as one of the world’s leading island destinations while creating new opportunities for resorts, guesthouses, hotels, liveaboards and other tourism businesses.
With strong international demand, expanding accommodation choices and continued destination promotion across important source markets, the Maldives tourism industry remains well positioned to deepen its presence throughout the CIS region and attract a broader range of travellers in the coming years.
advertisment
advertisment
