Minister of Tourism Ibrahim Faisal has announced that a comprehensive strategy paper focused on expanding tourism across various regions of the Maldives is being prepared for submission to the Cabinet. The announcement was made during the inauguration ceremony of Travel Trade Maldives (TTM) yesterday, the country’s largest travel trade fair, which is taking place from August 21 to 22.
During his address, Minister Faisal highlighted the critical need for enhanced collaboration between the tourism sector and the government to further develop the industry. He emphasised that the current administration is working on initiatives aimed at extending tourism to areas that presently lack the necessary infrastructure. As part of this effort, a detailed paper is being drafted to outline these strategies, which will soon be presented to the Cabinet.
The Minister also revealed that a long-term tourism development plan, spanning the next five to twenty years, is under development. This plan, which will also be submitted to the Cabinet, is designed to introduce tourism to previously untouched regions of the Maldives and to ensure its expansion across all atolls. Among the key components of this plan is the enhancement of direct flight connections to these areas, which is expected to play a significant role in boosting tourism in less developed regions.
Minister Faisal acknowledged the challenges involved in nationwide tourism expansion but reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing and overcoming these obstacles. He noted that the national airline, Maldivian, will be instrumental in this process.
Additionally, the Minister pointed to the increasing number of tourists visiting the Maldives, expressing confidence that the current efforts will elevate this figure to between 3 and 3.5 million within the next five years. He also mentioned a rise in tourism revenue this year and urged professionals within the sector to collaborate and share data to further strengthen the industry.
The TTM event, which continues until August 22, is expected to facilitate significant networking and business opportunities, further driving the growth and development of the Maldivian tourism sector.
