Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) has unveiled a set of 2026 membership measures designed to widen access for small and medium-sized tourism businesses, including guesthouses, liveaboards, and travel agencies, as the state tourism marketing body looks to broaden industry participation in international promotion.
Under the new framework, VMC will introduce more accessible, lower-priced membership options from 2026, aiming to expand the number of SMEs that can join its marketing network and benefit from destination promotion under the Maldives brand. The corporation said the approach is intended to ensure smaller operators, alongside larger players, have opportunities to contribute to and gain from overseas marketing efforts.
VMC also plans to cut participation fees for roadshows and other promotional activities across multiple business categories, including resorts, guesthouses, travel agencies, and liveaboards. To reduce the cost burden of international outreach, SMEs will be offered non-physical participation routes such as digital showcases, representation services, and shared lead-generation support, allowing businesses to engage target markets without travelling abroad.
A further pillar of the package is content support. VMC said it will facilitate content trips and content-sharing initiatives to help resorts and guesthouses access professional marketing assets, strengthening both the national destination content library and the visibility of individual operators competing for bookings.
Ibrahim Shiuree, CEO and Managing Director of Visit Maldives Corporation, said SME expansion is central to the sector’s long-term sustainability and diversity, and framed the measures as a step toward stronger representation of guesthouses, liveaboards, and travel agencies across all atolls, with support from local NGOs.
VMC said the initiatives align with the Government’s Maldives 2.0 vision and reinforce a push toward a more inclusive, collaborative tourism ecosystem.
