(No Like Yet)
Published on : Thursday, July 16, 2020
Visit Maldives and Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) hosted a virtual press conference to commence the reopening of Maldives’ borders for all countries across the globe on Wednesday, July 15. Authorities also launched the “Rediscover Maldives… the sunny side of life” campaign to commemorate the opening of the tourism sector that was closed for months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
MMPRC Managing Director, Mr. Thoyyib Mohamed along with Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Abdulla Shahid and Maldives Minister of Health, Honorable Abdulla Ameen graced the digital press conference with their presence. Travel and Tour World alongside other media representatives from India and 20 other countries including China, Italy, Germany, Russia, UK, France, Saudi Arabia and Japan, that forms the main source markets of Maldives participated in the live conference with almost 300 attendees in total.
In the opening statement, Mr. Thoyyib Mohamed, Managing Director, MMPRC discussed how the government and private sector have joined hands and is constantly working together to ensure safety and hygiene standards for travelers as they begin to travel once again in the ‘new normal.’ He mentioned that after months of hard work, Maldives is finally prepared to welcome back tourists with enhanced safety and secure measures. He also said that as Maldives reopens for tourism, safety of tourists and staffs with continue to be the top priority for the country.
Honorable Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maldives further mentioned though responding to the COVID-19 outbreak was difficult but Maldives has been successful in coming back stronger and is re-establishing itself as a safe destination for all tourists and staff. Honorable Abdulla Ameen, Minister of Health, Maldives added that proper health and safety measures have been put in place around the country to ensure of a vacation that is not only enjoyable but also safe. He expressed a sense of relief and excitement to welcome back tourists once again.
The virtual press conference was also translated into three languages in real time as it was carried out- Chinese, Russian and Korean. The day also marked the arrival of the first tourists since the closing of borders on March 27, 2020. It was also involved that connecting various countries, approximately 107 foreigners arrived in Maldives on the first commercial Qatar Airways flight that landed for the first time since borders closed.
The digital conference event and the campaign are amongst the first initiatives undertaken by Maldives to promote the country as a safe destination once borders are reopened. With the onset of tourism adapting to the ‘new normal’ under proper safety precautions, MMPRC has a variety of activities planned for the year. H.E President Solih has already announced a target of 850,000 visitors by the end of 2020.