NHGAM Launches ‘I AM Maldives’ CIS Roadshow in Moscow

The National Hotels and Guesthouse Association of Maldives (NHGAM) launched the “I AM Maldives CIS Region Roadshow” in Moscow on Monday, beginning a three-city tourism promotion campaign targeting key markets in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Organised in collaboration with Visit Maldives and the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO), the roadshow will continue in St. Petersburg on 23 September and conclude in Almaty on 25 September 2026.

The Moscow event brought together 26 Maldivian tourism companies and more than 50 representatives from guesthouses, resorts, hotels, liveaboards and travel agencies.

More than 90 travel trade professionals, including tour operators, travel agents and industry decision-makers, attended business-to-business networking sessions and destination presentations.

During the event, NHGAM President Abdulla Nasheed also launched the 2026–2027 edition of “I AM Maldives” magazine.

The roadshow places particular emphasis on community-led tourism and experiences available on local islands while promoting the broader range of Maldivian tourism products. These include sustainable travel experiences, luxury resorts and the diverse accommodation and recreational options available across the country.

According to NHGAM, the event provided travel trade professionals with further information about authentic island experiences and sustainable tourism in the Maldives. Participants also welcomed the networking opportunities and business connections established during the Moscow programme.

Russia remains one of the Maldives’ largest tourism markets. The country recorded 278,761 Russian arrivals in 2025, an increase of 23.8 percent compared with the previous year.

As of 2 September 2026, the Maldives had welcomed 209,815 visitors from Russia, accounting for 14.6 percent of total arrivals and making it the country’s second-largest source market.

Kazakhstan was the Maldives’ 11th-largest tourism market as of June 2026, with 18,602 arrivals and a market share of 1.8 percent. NHGAM said the wider Central Asian region also offers strong growth potential, supported by improving air connectivity across the CIS.

“Russia and the CIS region are among the most important and high-potential markets for the Maldives,” Nasheed said.

“This roadshow was a strategic step to further strengthen our presence in these regions and introduce the unique offerings of the Maldives to a wider audience.”

The tour is the third roadshow conducted under the “I AM Maldives” brand. Previous campaigns covered Georgia and Azerbaijan, followed by Romania, Poland and the Czech Republic in 2025. NHGAM also held roadshows in Hong Kong and Malaysia during the first quarter of 2026.

The association said the CIS roadshow forms part of its international promotional programme for 2026 and aims to strengthen the Maldives’ visibility among travel trade partners and prospective visitors across the region.