On Friday 22 September the Embassy of the Republic of Maldives in London participated in the International Diversity Festival London 2017 at the Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall to promote Maldives culture and tourism in the UK.
The International Diversity Festival London (IDFL) is an opportunity for Londoners to sample diversity, equality and multiculturalism at its finest in London. The purpose of IDFL 2017 is to recognise the outstanding social and economic contributions of ethnic minority businesses, professionals, individuals, social enterprises and change makers who have empowered communities to participate in activities relating to the arts, culture and heritage in the United Kingdom. The occasion was an excellent opportunity to network, sample cuisines from an array of different cultures and enjoy the many cultural performances that went on throughout the evening. The final turnout at the event was a huge success with over 800 people from various nations and cultures in attendance.
The Embassy of Maldives participated in this event by preparing and showcasing a variety of delicious traditional snacks and food from the Maldives. Maldivians residing in various parts of London participated in the preparation of the food and attended the event to support the Maldives stand. An additional aspect of the event was a 10 minute video to display the natural beauty of the Maldives and a one page promotional article which will be featured in the IDFL Magazine to endorse Maldives as an ideal holiday destination. Britons are amongst the top three nationals arriving into the Maldives, and currently occupy 7.9% of the market share which has grown since last year. As well as this, Europe has remained on top in market share with 48.7% of the total arrivals to the Maldives originating from Europe; the region has also observed a growth of 10.7% in the first half of 2017 in comparison to 2016 figures.