In a move that is planned to revive Indian travel to the Maldives, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) and the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) to improve tourism cooperation between the India and Maldives. The move is expected to draw more outbound travelers from India after a political fallout between the two countries in January 2024 saw a huge decline in Indian travelers to the Maldives. Until then, India was the biggest source market for the small Indian Ocean nation that annually attracts big spenders to its 200-plus standalone resort islands.
The main aim of this partnership is to draw more outbound travelers from India to the Maldives. According to a statement, MATATO said the main objectives of the MoU include promoting bilateral tourism through joint marketing initiatives, sharing best practices to improve operational efficiencies and service standards, planning joint events, roadshows, and fairs to highlight travel opportunities, and encouraging maintainable tourism practices. As such, MATATO has planned to hold roadshows in Bangalore, New Delhi, and Mumbai, the major Indian cities with the best flight connectivity. In April, MATATO president Abdulla Ghiyas told TTG Asia that in Bangalore the association has confirmed one roadshow, while the other two were to be finalized at meetings with Indian authorities attending Arabian Travel Mart 2024 last month in Dubai.
MATATO is the Maldives’ main tourism body dedicated to developing and promoting the travel and tourism industry in the Maldives, while IATO represents over 1,800 tour operators across India. The Maldives’ economy depends mainly on tourism and has been caught between political rivalry with its two main markets – India and China – after the recently-elected president Mohamed Muizzu won based on a pro-China stance compared to his predecessor favoring India. Arrivals this year as of May 27 reached 879,885, a 10.8 percent increase from the same period last year. This year’s target is 2.1 million arrivals, up from 1.9 million last year. China, once the largest source market for the Maldives but displaced due to COVID-19 travel bans, has regained its top position since Indian arrivals failed.
