Maldives Targets Surge in German Visitors as Visit Maldives and DERTOUR Deutschland Seal Strategic Tourism Partnership

Visit Maldives Corporation has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DERTOUR Deutschland, one of Europe’s largest tour operators, in a strategic move aimed at significantly boosting tourist arrivals from Germany and strengthening the Maldives’ long-term presence in the European travel market.

The agreement was formalized on 10 February 2026 in Berlin, on the sidelines of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s official visit to Germany. Ibrahim Shiuree, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Visit Maldives Corporation, signed the MoU on behalf of the Maldives, while Jörn Krausser, Director – Indian Ocean & Asia at DERTOUR Deutschland, represented the German travel giant.

Under the partnership, both parties will work together on large-scale destination marketing initiatives designed to attract at least 100,000 German tourists, with a shared ambition to surpass 200,000 German arrivals in the following year. The initiative is expected to reinforce Germany’s position as one of the Maldives’ most important European source markets and further diversify the country’s tourism portfolio.

The collaboration will include joint promotional campaigns, targeted marketing programs, and increased trade engagement activities tailored to German travel trends, seasonal demand patterns and consumer preferences. The partnership also emphasizes data-driven decision-making, with DERTOUR Deutschland providing market expertise and strategic insights to help refine destination marketing strategies.

As part of the agreement, both organizations will exchange tourism data, market intelligence and performance analytics in accordance with applicable confidentiality and data-sharing regulations. The MoU further outlines coordinated participation in trade fairs, sales activations and promotional initiatives aimed at strengthening engagement with the German travel trade and delivering measurable growth in visitor numbers.

The partnership also highlights DERTOUR Deutschland’s longstanding presence in the Maldives through its portfolio of brands and resort investments, including ANANEA Resorts, demonstrating the group’s sustained confidence in the destination’s long-term potential.

DERTOUR Deutschland, which comprises the tour operators DERTOUR, ITS and Meiers Weltreisen, is part of the DERTOUR Group, the travel and tourism arm of the REWE Group, offering a wide range of tour operations, travel agency services and destination management solutions across global markets.

Visit Maldives Corporation stated that the MoU reflects its continued focus on building strategic alliances with leading tour operators in priority markets, ensuring sustained destination visibility, deeper industry collaboration and long-term, sustainable growth in arrivals from Germany and across Europe.