At the Annual General Meeting of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) on July 15, 2025, chairperson Abdulla Ghiyas announced a significant financial and structural turnaround for the organisation.

He said that just a year ago, the corporation was in deficit and hindered by inefficient systems. Under his leadership, MMPRC, now Visit Maldives Corporation, is demonstrating that strategic reform, fiscal discipline, and a unified industry vision can elevate Maldives tourism to new global heights.

Ghiyas outlined key achievements in the organisation’s transformation, including a reduction of recurrent expenditure by over 10 per cent and a cut in the budget allocated to trade shows from 80 per cent to 34 per cent, allowing more funds to be directed towards effective initiatives. He also noted a shift in the use of public relations agencies, which had previously been limited to translation and logistics with little accountability. Visit Maldives Corporation is now adopting a results-oriented approach to public relations.

He described Visit Maldives Corporation as a modern, data-driven tourism board focused on delivering measurable results through performance-based campaigns rather than just visibility. Ghiyas reported improved outcomes in key markets, with India showing growth of four per cent after a previous decline of 39 per cent. Google search interest for the Maldives from Europe and Asia had risen by more than 1,000 per cent, signalling a resurgence of global interest.

Highlighting the need for increased destination marketing funding, Ghiyas said: “When we look around the region, our competitors are allocating significantly higher budgets to promote their destinations. In contrast, the Maldives is spending the least among all our main competitors. This is a reality we must approach with caution.”

He added that the corporation was now run by and for the industry, aiming to build a tourism story that Maldivians could be proud of.