World looks at Maldives as a sustainable tourism role model: Faisal

The Maldives Minister of Tourism Ibrahim Faisal has said the country is looking to set an example in the expansion of tourism.

The minister made the remarks earlier while speaking at the "Maldives Media Meet" on May 11th, organized by the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024, held at the World Trade Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Minister Faisal said the world today looks at the self-style brand of tourism Maldives now has.

He further emphasized that the Maldives government is now working closely with the private sector to ensure the tourism-centric nation serve at the highest level to maintain the quality of the tourism industry.

As proof, the minister cited recent accolades won by the Maldives, including the four major World Travel Awards (WTA) - Indian Ocean Category awards; landing four 'Leading' titles which includes "Indian Ocean's Leading Destination 2024" as well.

The minister also noted the changing nature of the tourism industry, and stressed that the Maldives has proven its tourism industry can push forward while incorporating the contemporary changes.

"The number of tourist arrivals to the Maldives, which we expect to increase by 6.5% this year, and that this is an important step towards achieving the goal of attracting 2 million tourists a year and increasing tourism revenue to USD 6 billion."

He attributed this growth to the hard work of the industry leaders and employees.

In his speech, Minister Faisal also highlighted the efforts made by the government to expand tourism activities; adding that the government has planned ambitious plans to expand the transportation system in the country, enhancing transfer options for tourists.

He also accentuated the high expectations tied to the opening of the new passenger terminat at Velana International Airport (VIA), expected for the final quarter of 2024 - the completion of which, is expected to attract seven million passengers per annum.