The Maldives has launched a major international tourism promotion campaign at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, using one of the world’s leading travel industry gatherings to strengthen its position in the Middle East and expand business opportunities with global tourism partners.
The 2026 edition of ATM is being held from September 14 to 17 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together more than 55,000 visitors, over 2,800 exhibitors and more than 6,600 buyers from across the international travel and tourism industry.
The annual event attracts tourism boards, airlines, hotels, travel companies, technology providers and industry leaders from more than 150 countries, providing a major platform for destinations to showcase their tourism products and establish new commercial partnerships.
Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) is leading the Maldivian participation, joined by 165 representatives from 74 travel and tourism companies.
A major focus of the Maldives delegation is business-to-business engagement, with industry representatives holding meetings with international buyers and tourism partners throughout the four-day event.
VMC is also scheduled to sign agreements with major international aviation and travel companies, including Emirates, Qatar Airways and dnata, one of the Middle East’s largest travel services providers.
Maldives Pavilion Brings the Underwater World to Dubai
To strengthen the country’s visual presence at the exhibition, VMC has established a 517-square-foot double-deck pavilion designed around the Maldives’ distinctive marine environment.
The stand is accessible from four sides and includes 49 co-exhibitor counters and 52 dedicated B2B meeting tables spread across the two floors.
The design seeks to recreate the experience of being beneath the surface of a Maldivian lagoon. Sand-coloured elements and ocean-blue lighting are combined with digital displays and three-dimensional models of marine life to create an immersive representation of the country’s underwater ecosystems.
A photo area designed to resemble a vibrant coral garden has also emerged as one of the attractions at the Maldives pavilion, giving visitors an opportunity to experience a visual representation of the archipelago’s famous marine environment.
The pavilion is also showcasing Maldivian culture through food, with visitors being offered samples of traditional local dishes including fried breadfruit, known as theluli babukeyo, and spicy roshi, or kulhi roshi.
A Major Marketplace for Global Tourism
ATM provides participating destinations with opportunities to connect directly with tourism decision-makers, buyers, airlines, hotels and other businesses from around the world.
The 2026 event has recorded 57,869 confirmed meetings, highlighting the scale of business engagement taking place during the exhibition.
In addition to commercial networking, the event features discussions and presentations on major developments shaping the tourism industry, including artificial intelligence, sustainability, changing traveller behaviour and emerging global travel trends.
The exhibition also provides destinations and tourism businesses with access to curated networking opportunities and platforms designed to facilitate meetings with potential partners and buyers.
With its strong focus on the Middle East and participation from tourism stakeholders worldwide, ATM remains an important platform for destinations seeking to expand their international reach.
Strengthening the Maldives’ Position in the Middle East
The Maldives considers the Middle East a particularly important tourism market, making participation in ATM strategically significant for the country’s tourism industry.
The event provides Maldivian businesses with an opportunity not only to promote resorts, guesthouses and other tourism products, but also to build commercial relationships that could contribute to increased visitor arrivals from the region and other international markets.
VMC officials have expressed confidence that the extensive programme of B2B meetings and planned agreements will generate tangible benefits for the Maldivian tourism sector.
The Maldives’ participation also comes as Dubai continues to strengthen its role as a global travel hub, with ATM serving as one of the region’s most influential platforms for shaping tourism strategies and connecting international industry players.
Through its participation this year, the Maldives is seeking to combine high-level business engagement with a strong visual and cultural presentation of the destination, showcasing not only its luxury tourism offering but also the natural beauty, marine environment and hospitality that distinguish the country in the global tourism market.
