The National Hotels and Guest House Association of Maldives (NHGAM), in collaboration with Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/Visit Maldives) and Maldives Association of Travel Agents & Tour Operators (MATATO), has announced the "I AM Maldives Roadshow" taking place from December 17th to 20th, 2024, in Tbilisi, Georgia & Baku, Azerbaijan. This roadshow aims to increase destination visibility and strengthen the Maldives' market presence in these regions.

This key B2B event features 18 co-exhibitors (Resorts, Hotels, Guesthouses & Travel Agencies) from the Maldives. Participants will establish direct connections with travel industry professionals, showcase their properties and services to potential partners and clients, contribute to increasing tourism arrivals from these regions to the Maldives, and gain valuable insights into market trends and preferences in both countries.

"The 'I AM Maldives Roadshow' represents a significant milestone in our efforts to promote local island tourism in emerging markets. Azerbaijan and Georgia present exciting opportunities for our local island tourism sector. Through this initiative, we aim to connect our guesthouse operators and local tourism businesses with these promising markets, creating sustainable growth opportunities for our members," said Abdulla Nasheed, President of NHGAM.

The roadshow will feature airline presentations highlighting connectivity from both cities to the Maldives, a destination presentation from Visit Maldives, insights into local island tourism products & opportunities, and updates from the Travel Agents. Additionally, 40 exciting raffle giveaways will be held during the roadshow, where lucky winners will receive holiday packages sponsored by 18 industry partners.

As final preparations are underway for this roadshow, NHGAM and its partners aim to create stronger relations within this region through partnerships with key stakeholders in Azerbaijan and Georgia.

"Azerbaijan and Georgia are emerging as important markets for the Maldives. This roadshow is a strategic step to further strengthen our presence in these regions and introduce the unique offerings of the Maldives to a wider audience," said Ibrahim Shiury, CEO and MD of MMPRC/Visit Maldives.

For the roadshow, NHGAM has partnered with Air Arabia as the official travel partner to ensure costeffective participation for the Maldives delegation. Additionally, Visit Maldives is set to host a media and influencer familiarization trip in collaboration with AZAL (Azerbaijan Airlines) for the Azerbaijan market as an upcoming marketing activity.

NHGAM has outlined an ambitious calendar of market activities for the next year. The 'I AM Maldives Roadshow' in Azerbaijan and Georgia represents the first of these initiatives, reflecting NHGAM's commitment to expanding market reach and creating sustainable growth opportunities for its members in emerging markets.