The National Hotels and Guesthouse Association of Maldives (NHGAM), together with Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) and the Maldives Association of Travel Agents & Tour Operators (MATATO), has successfully concluded the ‘I AM Maldives CIS Region Roadshow’.
Held across Moscow, St. Petersburg and Almaty from 21 to 25 September 2026, the roadshow brought together 26 companies and more than 50 participants from across the Maldivian tourism industry, including guesthouses, resorts, hotels, liveaboards and travel agencies. The three-city roadshow provided a platform to showcase the diversity of the Maldives directly to key travel trade partners across the CIS region.
According to VMC, more than 250 travel trade professionals across Moscow, St. Petersburg and Almaty attended the roadshow, including tour operators, travel agents and key industry decision-makers. The three successful events provided valuable opportunities for the Maldivian delegation to engage directly with the travel trade, strengthen existing partnerships and establish new connections within these important source markets.
President of NHGAM, Abdulla Nasheed said the successful conclusion of the I AM Maldives CIS Region Roadshow marks an important step in the association’s continued efforts to promote local island tourism in key international markets. He noted that Moscow, St. Petersburg and Almaty provided excellent opportunities for the association’s members to connect directly with travel trade professionals and strengthen awareness of the diverse experiences available across the Maldives. He expressed satisfaction with the engagement throughout all three cities.
Ahmed Waheed, Vice President of NHGAM, said the strong participation and engagement received across all three cities demonstrated the importance of the CIS region for the Maldives tourism industry. He said the roadshow allowed the association’s delegation to present the wide range of accommodation and travel experiences available in the Maldives while strengthening relationships with partners across the region. He thanked all who participated and contributed to making each of the three events a success.
The CIS region continues to play an important role in the Maldives tourism industry. Russia recorded 278,761 arrivals to the Maldives in 2025, representing a 23.8 percent increase year-on-year. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Russia has maintained its position as the Maldives’ second-largest source market in 2026, recording 209,815 arrivals as of 2 September, representing a 14.6 percent share of total tourist arrivals. Kazakhstan ranked 11th overall in tourist arrivals as of June 2026, with 18,602 arrivals and a 1.8 percent market share. With strengthening air connectivity and growing travel demand across the CIS region, the market continues to offer significant opportunities for the Maldivian tourism industry.