The International Maldives Travel Market (IMTM) 2021 Virtual Fair commences with its opening ceremony on the virtual platform, IMTMair. The fourth edition of the IMTM fair will be held from 26th to 28th October 2021. The three-day event was inaugurated by the Minister of Tourism, Dr Abdulla Mausoom, on a virtual ceremony held on the IMTMAir platform.
We anticipate the year 2022 to be truly a golden year, the year of 50th anniversary of Maldives tourism. The global competition is intense, and we have to make sure that Maldives stays ahead of the competition. We won the World’s leading destination award in 2020. Winning the award is the easy part, maintaining is tougher. We have to ensure that our competitive advantage is further enhanced. The networking created through this exhibition is very important for us to compete in the global tourism arena.
Dr Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism
The Minister also highlighted the development of a new diversified component, where tourism is taken to its people creating a unique cultural experience for the tourists.
IMTMAir is an in house virtual platform structured with features that allow easy navigation, fluidity and transparency in maintaining business relationships between parties over the coming years. This platform allows participants to remain connected with businesses providing continuous communication and relationship management.
The last year has reminded us that COVID- 19 is not a short-term crisis to quickly fade away, but an era we must adapt to and evolve around. This is what we aim to do by adapting and shifting to digital means through IMTMAir. This experience is the very beginning of building a community where our international buyers can connect and communicate freely with the local operators of the Maldives. These connections will build into long-term business relationships, providing equal opportunities and choice to all our participants with whom they wish to conduct business. As many businesses shift to online methods to adapt to current situations, IMTMAir wishes to be that online platform that powers all your needs in communication for the tourism industry with the Maldives. Therefore, this platform will provide our participants with a cost-effective experience, prioritizing the satisfaction of our users with full flexibility.
Shiuna Khalid, Managing Director of IMTM
In addition, many inspiring and grateful words were shared from speakers of the ceremony to all the attendees of IMTM 2021, such as special invitees, partners, and participants, for all their contributions to the event and to utilize the virtual platform for a constructive and valuable experience.
Attendees of the opening ceremony included the High Commissioner of Bangladesh in the Maldives, Rear Admiral Nazmul Hassan; Managing Director of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation, Thoyyib Mohamed; and the founder of Capital Travel and Tours, Yoosuf Riffath.
In my understanding, initiative taken by the government organizations are as important as the private entrepreneurs, and towards that direction the initiative taken by the IMTM 2021 to arrange this virtual event of business to business meet for the stakeholders in the tourism industry from different parts of the world are very significant. For any country’s development in any industry, the private sector plays the leading role; the initiative, courage and the innovation that the private sector bring to the table are invaluable. In my understanding IMTM is such an example of private constant.
Rear Admiral Nazmul Hassan, Hgh Commissioner of Bangladesh in the Maldives
The ceremony highlighted the contributions made by the event on the steady recovery in tourism in the Maldives, by providing not only luxury resorts and hotels, but other local accommodation providers the opportunity to increase competitiveness in the market. Higher growth in such businesses such as liveaboards and guest houses will provide more variety in choice, budget and experiences for tourists vacationing in the Maldives. IMTM aims to aid the government’s objective to boost the local community through the success in Maldives’ tourism, through rural tourism development, a worldwide movement of 2021.
Travel fairs such as IMTM, provide a glimse of what we are capable of and what the future can look like for us. The question that arises is can the Maldives really do it? It is the same question that many had when the Maldives first embarked its journey into the tourism industry. It is the same question that arose when we first opened the guesthouses for local tourism. In each step we were incredibly successful. I have no doubt that with our determination we can archive success in MICE as well. I want to offer our support for IMTM‘s mission to come together on a common platform to overcome the challenges and explore solutions for the better and sustainable growth of the tourism sector in Maldives. We welcome such effort wholeheartedly.
Thoyyib Mohamed, Managing Director of the MMPRC
IMTM is a national developer, facilitator, contributor, and planner to the development of MICE tourism, and they believe that by coming together during these trying times, the doors will open to new opportunities and growth. Similar to last year, IMTM 2021’s main objective is to equip stakeholders with a tool to Reconnect, Revive, and Grow through mutuality. Most importantly, industry stakeholders play a pivotal role to sustain the efforts from the private sector. Especially at a time when the community is looking for direction and initiatives such as theirs, with collaborating partners and support by the government. IMTM’s initiatives over the last three years have made a difference to promote the government efforts. The organization acts as a medium to channel positive progressive news to the local island communities.
International Maldives Travel Market (IMTM) 2021, is a B2B travel and trade fair that brings together international buyers (Tour Operators, Travel Agents, Destination Management Companies, and PR Companies) from around the world to liaise with the local accommodation providers (Resorts, Hotels, Guesthouses, Liveaboards, Dive Centers, Local Tour Operators, and Travel Agents) of the Maldives.
