Minister of State for Tourism and Environment Dr Abdulla Niyaz has held discussions with Zhang Le, Deputy Director of Xinhua News Agency’s Zhejiang Branch, to explore enhanced media collaboration aimed at promoting the Maldives to international audiences.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2025 Maritime Silk Road Urban Cooperation & Development Conference and the International Travel Agents Conference in Wenzhou.

During the meeting, Dr Niyaz expressed appreciation for the invitation extended by Xinhua and underlined the importance of strengthening media partnerships to elevate global visibility of the Maldives’ tourism sector. Discussions centred on potential avenues for content collaboration with Xinhua to highlight the Maldives’ tourism products, sustainability initiatives, and cultural heritage across regional and international platforms.

Alongside the conference engagements, Dr Niyaz also met Emmanuel Zorino, Mayor of Aquila, Italy, to explore deeper cooperation in the field of tourism. The talks focused on increasing Italian tourist arrivals to the Maldives and introducing visitors to the country’s cultural and historical attractions.

Dr Niyaz briefed Mayor Zorino on the Maldives’ long-standing experience in tourism development and emphasised the national priority placed on sustainable tourism practices. He noted that Italy remains one of the most significant markets for Maldivian tourism, expressing confidence that the meeting would further strengthen bilateral relations. Mayor Zorino conveyed strong interest in expanding collaboration between the two countries, particularly in areas that could diversify tourism experiences for Italian travellers visiting the Maldives.