The government is introducing new regulations that will reserve all airline sales agency roles exclusively for companies fully owned by Maldivian nationals, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen has announced.
The upcoming regulation, which is expected to be gazetted soon, will stipulate that only wholly Maldivian-owned entities can act as General Sales Agents (GSAs), Passenger Sales Agents (PSAs), or Cargo Sales Agents (CSAs) for airlines operating in the country. The decision will reshape how international carriers manage their commercial representation and sales operations in the Maldives.
Minister Ameen said in a post that the policy is being implemented under the directive of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. He described it as a long-awaited reform aimed at empowering and strengthening local enterprises.
According to the government, the move aims to ensure that the financial and business benefits generated by the aviation industry remain within the domestic economy. Officials believe that by limiting intermediary roles to local firms, Maldivian businesses will be better positioned to expand their operations and play a stronger role in the country’s air transport sector.
The localisation of aviation sales agencies is part of a wider strategy to advance the Maldives’ air transport industry. Recent developments include the completion of a new international terminal at Velana International Airport, designed to handle up to seven million passengers annually, substantially increasing capacity for rising air traffic.
The government has also been strengthening the national airline, Maldivian, which recently added a wide-body aircraft to its fleet and plans to introduce more long-haul aircraft in the near future.
Across the country, new regional airports are being developed and existing ones upgraded as part of efforts to modernise aviation infrastructure. The Ministry has stated that these projects are being undertaken using the latest resources and technology to enhance service standards and connectivity nationwide.
