Leading local PR firm Maldives Getaways has announced the launching of Maldives Dive Expo, scheduled to take place as part of the second edition of the Travel Trade Maldives (TTM) in May 2018.
In a statement, Maldives Getaways said the expo would be held from May 2-3, 2018.
According to the firm, the expo is aimed at creating a world-class platform for industry players to better engage with each other and connect with suppliers and dive operators as well as with existing dive schools. More than 50 international media representatives and dive specialised operators, including manufacturers, travel companies and liveaboards, from around the world are expected to participate in the expo, it added.
In this invitation-only event, a Professional Divers Conference is also set to take place.
The first-ever Professional Divers Conference will witness diving professionals and potential stakeholders come together to discuss the future of dive tourism in the Maldives and establish the Maldives as a full-fledged diving destination. Attendees will include scuba, recreational, technical, commercial and military divers, marine biologists, technical instructors, underwater camera specialists, marine filmmakers, and explorers, while representatives from leading dive acknowledgement institutions such as PADI, IANTD, TDI, SSI and RAID are also set to participate in the conference.
“Places like Singapore already host the Asia Dive Expo. With the current growth in the tourism industry, there is a need for the Maldives to have a dive expo of its own. We believe that the Maldives Dive Expo would create immense networking opportunities,” Abdulla Nashaath, a Director at Maldives Getaways, was quoted as saying.
Known internationally as one of the world’s best scuba diving destinations, the Maldives has an abundance of dive sites with one thrilling dive opportunity after another. The islands of the Maldives have consistently warm waters with outstanding visibility throughout the year, and consist of exhilarating dive sites such as vibrant thilas, exciting channels, coral-filled overhangs and fascinating wrecks.
The Maldives Dive Expo, to be held as part the first and only international travel trade show in the Maldives TTM, complements Divemv, which is the only dedicated dive magazine in the Maldives. The magazine, developed solely for the purpose of promoting the Maldives as a dive destination, is published in English with a total of 3,000 copies printed and freely distributed to all interested parties across the globe, including suppliers, travel agents and other businesses.
Meanwhile, the second edition of TTM will take place from May 1-3, 2018.
The first edition of TTM concluded successfully on July 13, with business contracts worth over USD 1 billion discussed during the two-day travel trade show. More than 100 hoteliers held over 3,000 meetings with 150 agents and tour operators from across the globe.