Tourism Min: Making locals leaders of tourism main goal

Tourism minister Dr Abdulla Mausoom said, today, that the tourism ministry’s main goal for next year was to make Maldives the “leaders of tourism.”

Speaking with Sun regarding ongoing projects to develop tourism in Maldives, the minister said that there will be efforts to open up opportunities for Maldivians to get higher-ranking positions in the tourism sector.

In order to do that, facilitating ways for locals to open hotels and guesthouses and even help them reach high-paying positions in the profession, will be prioritized.

“Our main objective is to increase Maldivian ownership of resorts and other parts of the tourism market. Our vision is to make Maldivians leaders in tourism. In the fields of souvenir making, resort jobs, and product owners,” he said.

He further said that there is already a demand for a tourism market in the Male’ area, but was lesser in the north, south and some part of the mid-nation. He said that it is the government’s plan to foster tourism in those areas.

In order to do this, he said that the price for investments in tourism for both the north and south atolls in the Maldives has been lowered.

The minister went on to say said that lowering prices for investors is a tactic used in the tourism policy.

“We believe that doing so will create jobs in those areas and will benefit the economy and any related activities that are held there. Those areas will be developed with the development of resorts. Flights will go to all the airports that are built if there are resorts nearby,” he said.

He further said that the geography of the islands has been observed and plans are being made to promote tourism in those areas.

How much tourism has grown in that area will also be taken into account when making these plans.

“A place that has seen more development will not necessarily need another injection. Places that aren’t developed need to be given injections and watered,” the minister said.

Regarding the number of beds available, he said that the goal is to develop 8,000 beds.

“Airports will see more air traffic when there are more beds available. For the tourist market to take off there need to be at least 8,000 beds. And so that’s the goal we are working towards. As there is an increase day by day, the economy of these areas will truly take off once there are 8,000 beds,” he said.

The minister expressed confidence that the goal can be reached.