Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) has begun its participation at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (14–17 September), leading 165 representatives from 74 tourism companies. This is the largest presence by Maldivian tourism professionals at an international travel trade event this year.
The delegation includes representatives from Visit Maldives Corporation, the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation and the Embassy of the Maldives in the UAE. The destination is presented on a 517.5-square-metre double-decker stand designed for B2B engagement and to showcase the Maldives’ tourism offering.
The Maldives will present experiences beyond the one-island-one-resort model, including luxury resorts, liveaboards, diving, surfing, adventure, family holidays, honeymoons, wellness, local island experiences and MICE. Muslim-friendly and halal tourism will also be highlighted, including halal dining, privacy-focused experiences and relevant services.
“The Middle East is an important partner for the Maldives, and we are grateful to every traveller who has chosen our islands. ATM 2026 is an opportunity to connect with our partners, strengthen relationships and showcase the diversity of experiences that the Maldives has to offer. As we prepare for Visit Maldives Year 2027, we remain committed to diversifying our tourism products, improving connectivity and creating more opportunities for the people of the Maldives,” stated the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. Mohamed Ameen.
“ATM provides an important platform for the Maldives to strengthen its engagement with the Middle Eastern travel trade and showcase the diversity of experiences available across the destination,” stated Abdulla Yasir, CEO & Managing Director of Visit Maldives Corporation. “While the Maldives is recognised globally for its luxury resorts, our tourism offering extends well beyond the traditional beach holiday, encompassing family travel, wellness, adventure, marine experiences, local island tourism and MICE. Through continued industry engagement and partnerships, we aim to create greater opportunities for tourism growth from the region.”
Partnerships and market focus
Across the four-day fair, Visit Maldives and participating businesses will meet tour operators, travel agents, airlines, MICE buyers, media and other stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, develop joint marketing, expand market reach and increase awareness of the Maldives’ tourism products.
Memoranda of Understanding are scheduled to be signed with Emirates, Qatar Airways and dnata, supporting destination promotion, travel trade engagement, connectivity and visitor growth.
The Middle East accounted for 5.8 per cent of tourist arrivals in July 2026, with Saudi Arabia remaining the leading Middle Eastern nationality market. The UAE is a source market and a major aviation and travel hub connecting the Maldives with the wider GCC, Europe and other international markets.
Participation at ATM 2026 forms part of Visit Maldives’ wider efforts to enhance the destination’s presence across the Middle East, deepen industry relationships and position the Maldives across luxury, romance, family, wellness, adventure, marine tourism, MICE, sustainability and local island experiences.
