Maldives Expo 2026 Prepares to Host Over 1,000 Small Businesses
Participation in the expo’s competitive segment has seen a significant surge this year. | Photo: BCC
Over 1,000 small and medium-sized enterprises from various districts across the archipelago will participate in the upcoming Maldives Expo 2026, the Business Centre Corporation (BCC) has announced.
Managing Director Ibrahim Ziyau confirmed that the event, which runs for nine days from 25 October to 2 November, will feature seven specialized districts aimed at strengthening local enterprise and international trade.
advertisement
advertisement
Participation in the expo’s competitive segment has seen a significant surge this year. Registrations have reached 780 enterprises, compared to 308 last year. Similarly, product entries have increased to over 6,000, up from 3,600 in the previous edition.
Organisers are also altering the presentation format for 2026. Rather than arranging exhibits strictly under company names, the showcase will feature individual items independently to emphasize individual craftspeople and facilitate direct producer recognition.
Ziyau noted that the event, which originated 80 years ago as a modest local trade gathering, has evolved into a key national platform for commercial growth.
The 2026 expo introduces two notable additions: the Visitor Economy District and the International Exhibitors District.
The Visitor Economy District allows islands involved in guesthouse and local tourism sectors to promote regional services—a feature missing from previous exhibitions. In parallel, the International Exhibitors District seeks to introduce fresh commercial concepts while establishing direct trade channels between Maldivian vendors and foreign markets.
