I spoke at Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) Annual Brainstorming Summit.

My Smart Gentlemen and Beautiful Ladies

Holiday Inn Malé is in great debt to you all travel family for your instant support and partnership at our launch.

As you all know we had to beat odd views and skepticism from the market as well as the community. We succeeded all because of your support – so thank you all very much.

In our part I would like to guarantee you that our business will exist to revive and sustain Maldivian Travel Agents and Tour Operators.

As I can sense, the question in all our minds is at what price we can attract a customer and at what rate we can sell a customer to a Hotel. Here is my guarantee to you that the room tariff provided to the Maldivian travel agent community will always be a competitive one.

I am sure many of the colleagues amongst you, who have approached me, have always found a friend in whichever the property I represent at any given time. Don’t mistake me….it was never because I was a cool guy. It is all because of the hard work and efforts you put into your business to survive… little guys in little ways, big guys in big ways.

As for the market, everybody knows that on Quest Means Business, Richard Quest last night said, it is stupid to assume when economy is down people can pay more and buy more. But it is crazy to shutdown your business because you know for a fact, after every downturn there comes a long lucky period of success.

As you already realize, you as an association you are much profitable than individual agents. But to stay stronger you all will have to do somethings which are significant to the industry and yourselves.

From my interaction with you, you are all very creative and capable of coming up with, if I may say, a propaganda, that will keep others believing that MATATO is relevant to the industry.

Holiday Inn Malé thanks you for your generous partnerships. Thank you!

The workshop was themed “MATATO for Tomorrow”