Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) Chief Commercial Officer Nasrulla Adam has said that increasing tourist arrivals from the United States and the Middle East will be a key priority for the Maldives’ tourism promotion efforts this year.

Speaking on MMTV’s Presidential Address programme, Nasrulla said expanding promotion in new and emerging markets is essential to achieving the Government’s tourism targets. He said marketing efforts would continue in traditional source markets while greater focus is placed on attracting visitors from regions with growth potential.

Nasrulla noted that Europe remains the Maldives’ largest tourism market, accounting for around 59 per cent of total arrivals. He said the United States and Middle East will be given increased attention as part of efforts to diversify the Maldives’ visitor base and reduce reliance on a limited number of markets.

More than 8,000 tourists from the United States have visited the Maldives so far this year. Nasrulla said targeted promotional campaigns and engagement with industry partners in both the US and Middle East are planned to further increase arrivals from these markets. 

The renewed marketing focus aligns with the Government’s target of attracting 2.5 million tourists this year, representing an 11.3 per cent increase in arrivals. Tourist arrivals reached a record 2.2 million last year.