The National Hotels and Guesthouse Association of Maldives (NHGAM) has held a tourism roadshow in Kuala Lumpur, in collaboration with Visit Maldives and the Maldives High Commission in Malaysia.

The one-day event took place at Hotel Bukit Bintang, bringing together Maldivian tourism operators and Malaysian travel industry representatives.

Held under the theme “I AM MALDIVES”, the event was inaugurated by Trade Representative Abbas Adil Riza. A message from the Maldivian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Dr Mariyam Shabeena Ahmed, was also delivered at the opening.

In the message, the High Commissioner said the roadshow reflects the outcome of discussions held in 2025 between the High Commission and NHGAM. Appreciation was extended to NHGAM President Abdulla Nasheed, Vice President Ahmed Waheed, and members of the association for their role in organising the event.

She also noted that Malaysia remains one of the Maldives’ strongest air-connected markets, adding that the initiative comes at an important time to further promote the destination to Malaysian travellers.

The roadshow brought together representatives from a wide range of Maldivian hotels and guesthouses, and is the first large-scale promotional activity of its kind held in Malaysia for the Maldives tourism sector.

NHGAM said the event received strong backing from its members and expressed confidence that it will help strengthen the Maldives’ presence in the Malaysian market. The association also indicated plans to continue the initiative on a regular basis.

The closing ceremony featured a cultural performance by the Maldivian Students Association in Malaysia.

Tourism figures show continued growth from the Malaysian market. A total of 24,847 visitors from Malaysia were recorded, up 25.2 per cent from 19,846 the previous year. Across the Southeast Asian region, visitor numbers reached 72,128, reflecting a 6 per cent increase and accounting for 3.2 per cent of total arrivals to the Maldives.