Maldives aims for $5 bn in tourism receipts
MALDIVES Marketing and Public Relations Corporation has set an ambitious target of $5 billion in tourism receipts for 2025, building on the incredible momentum of 2024, a record-breaking year for the Maldives Tourism Industry. The announcement was made recently by Abdulla Ghiyas, the Chairperson of MMPRC, and the CEO & MD, Ibrahim Shiuree, at a Press Conference held at MMPRC headquarters.
Visit Maldives is adopting a fresh strategic approach, shifting its focus from traditional trade shows to more conversion-driven marketing tactics. This new strategy will emphasize the creation and distribution of compelling content, with a strong focus on video-based digital campaigns. They will also be strengthening their international collaborations with airlines, tour operators, and retail brands to maximise reach and impact.
Travelport shares ‘Travel’s Tipping Point’ report
Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel agencies and suppliers worldwide, recently unveiled its 2025 State of Modern Retailing Report. This report, combining new proprietary research and cross-industry insights, outlines critical trends reshaping the travel industry in 2025, including heightened demand for transparency, the emergence of new subscription models, and AI-driven advancements in the travel retail experience. AI- driven tools will help in predicting travel behaviour to curating personalised offers.
“Consumers are clear about what they want from the travel industry: simplicity, transparency, and trust,” said Jen Catto, Chief Marketing and Product Officer at Travelport. “Our latest research shows that travel has reached a tipping point. Modern retailers who embrace radical transparency, adopt AI responsibly, and deliver streamlined experiences will thrive in this evolving landscape.”
VisitBritain to host 120 travel trade
National tourism agency VisitBritain is gearing up to host more than 120 international travel trade on educational visits across the UK as part of its flagship ‘Showcase Britain’ event.
With VisitBritain set to launch its global screen tourism campaign ‘Starring GREAT Britain’, many of the educational visits include film-and-tv inspired experiences, showing international travel buyers and media the real destinations at the heart of the on-screen action.
Travel trade from across 17 international markets will be undertaking tailored visits to destinations across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
WiT Africa returns to Cape Town in 2025
WiT (Web in Travel), the leading platform for discussions and insights on online travel in Asia Pacific, announces its return to Cape Town for WiT Africa 2025. The highly anticipated event will take place on March 13, 2025, at Innovation City in Cape Town.
"We are thrilled to be returning to Cape Town for WiT Africa 2025," said Siew Hoon Yeoh, Founder of WiT. "With 'Next Generation' as our theme, we are recognizing the profound 'Sliding Doors' moment the African travel industry is facing. We are at a critical juncture – either we get on or get off – and this event will provide a crucial platform for the industry to collectively decide how to move forward and build a future that embraces the next generation of travellers, talent, and leaders."
Demand for luxury travel experiences strong
American Express Middle East has unveiled the results of its Trendex Survey citing a strong demand for luxury and personalised travel experiences among majority of UAE consumers, with experiential gifting also being highly popular.
Saud Swar, American Express Middle East's Chief Business Officer, shared his insights on the findings, "Our Trendex Survey reveals a strong interest among UAE Consumers for high-end travel during the upcoming winter and spring holidays, with respondents willing to spend more on leisure, premium services, exploring new destinations, and visiting family and friends.
"Physical gifts are popular, but we are also seeing a strong interest in experiential gifts, particularly in entertainment and travel."