Visit Maldives has officially launched Visit Maldives Week in Australia, a three-city roadshow designed to strengthen the Maldives' presence in one of its fastest-growing long-haul markets. Beginning today in Perth, the roadshow will continue in Melbourne on 22 July and Sydney on 23 July, bringing together leading tourism stakeholders from the Maldives and Australia to strengthen industry partnerships and promote the Maldives as the preferred holiday destination for Australian travellers.
Held under Visit Maldives' redefined "Visit Maldives Week" concept, the roadshow offers an engaging platform for travel trade professionals, media, influencers, and key industry stakeholders to connect with Maldivian tourism partners while discovering the destination's latest products, experiences, and developments. The initiative forms part of Visit Maldives' ongoing strategy to build stronger market presence through sustained trade engagement and targeted destination marketing.
This year's roadshow is particularly significant following the launch of Maldivian's direct flights between Malé and Melbourne in May 2026, enhancing connectivity between the two countries and creating new opportunities to grow visitor arrivals from Australia. Visit Maldives is leveraging this milestone to strengthen relationships with travel agents, tour operators, wholesalers, and other industry partners while showcasing the ease of travelling to the Maldives.
Australia continues to record strong growth for the Maldives. Between January and May 2026, the destination welcomed 20,126 Australian visitors, representing a 14.1% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Australia ranked as the Maldives' 10th largest source market, contributing 2.2% of total tourist arrivals. The market also recorded exceptional growth in May 2026, with arrivals increasing by 24.2% year-on-year, significantly outperforming overall market growth during the same period.
Australian travellers remain among the Maldives' highest-value visitors, with 77.2% choosing resort accommodation, while growing numbers are exploring guesthouses, hotels, and liveaboards, reflecting increasing interest in the destination's diverse tourism offerings.
Visit Maldives is joined by 11 Maldivian tourism companies showcasing a wide range of experiences and products throughout the roadshow. Participating exhibitors include Coco Bodu Hithi, Fushifaru Maldives, Voyages Maldives Pvt Ltd, Island Aviation Services Limited, Villa Resorts, Baglioni Resort Maldives, Pulse Hotels & Resorts, Resort Life Travel Pvt Ltd, Exciting Maldives, Splendid Asia Pvt Ltd, and Arrival Beach and Spa.
Each event features destination presentations, business-to-business meetings, networking sessions, promotional activities, interactive games, and holiday raffle giveaways. Dedicated media and influencer networking opportunities have also been incorporated to further amplify the Maldives' visibility across the Australian market and strengthen collaborations with key opinion leaders and content creators.
Visit Maldives continues to implement a comprehensive marketing strategy for Australia through joint campaigns with Luxury Escapes, influencer collaborations, familiarisation trips, and targeted advertising initiatives. Together with Visit Maldives Week in Australia, these efforts are expected to further strengthen destination awareness, enhance industry partnerships, and support continued growth from one of the Maldives' most promising long-haul source markets.
