While the Maldives has long been renowned for leisure travel, now the country can additionally serve as a destination to practise corporate sustainability and responsibility when organisers choose to hold their MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences,
and exhibitions) events in any of its 1,200 islands.
The island archipelago aims to redefine MICE events by bringing business travellers out of the confines of a meeting room or exhibition hall onto its sandy white beaches and crystalline
waters.
“Maldives is unparalleled in offering that quintessential ‘laid-back’ atmosphere for thought provoking and stimulating discussions,” Thoyyib Mohamed, managing director of Visit Maldives said at the MICE India and Luxury Travel (MILT) Congress
on 7 October.
Located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the unique geography of the islands can function as a halfway meeting point for regional delegates from all over the world. Beyond its convenient geographical location, the country
aims to further enhance the MICE experience by leveraging the natural beauty of its islands, that has been preserved by its locals for more than a thousand years, and everything that the Maldives is renowned for.
Redefining MICE at The Maldives
Some
of the unique venues that Maldives has to offer include floating doughnut boats where small business meetings can be conducted, liveaboards for corporate activities, beach setups for networking sessions or gala dinners, and private islands for large-scale
conferences to be held in a safe and calibrated manner. Organisers also have the option of hiring butlers, hosts, musicians and other locals that can add a touch of Maldivian culture to elevate their conferences or meetings.
When organisers
choose locally sponsored activities or hire Maldivian operators, it ensures that most of the business travel expenditure goes back to the people and honours the cultural heritage of the Maldives.
Whether organisers seek to incorporate unique
experiences into their meeting agenda or business travellers choose to extend their trip for pleasure, Maldives provides the opportunity for blending business and leisure. Travellers can snorkel with manta rays and turtles, surf, sail, explore the
local culture and cuisine or spend a day out on a secluded island for a team building activity.
Due to the Maldives’ circumstance of being the world’s lowest-lying country that faces the threat of climate change and rising sea levels, the
locals are more committed than ever in promoting sustainability and raising awareness of everything that’s at stake for these islands. Many local tour operators are offering tourist-oriented conservation activities like releasing baby hatchling turtles,
planting corals, and embarking on educational dive excursions.
Business travellers can stand to gain a new sense of respect and admiration for the environment from participating in many of these educational activities that incorporate sustainability,
leisure and business at the same time.
For more information, go to Visit Maldives website https://visitmaldives.com/en or email southeastasia.pr@visitmaldives.com
This article is brought to you by Visit Maldives