- Tourism pioneer Champa Afeef welcomed the government's plan to develop at least 10 resorts and distribute profit shares to all Maldivian citizens.
- President Muizzu projected payments beginning in 2030, with each citizen receiving a minimum average of USD 400 annually in foreign currency.
- The 16th Amendment to the Tourism Act, ratified in December 2025, enables state-owned enterprises to lease land for resort development.
The government’s plan to develop at least 10 resorts and distribute a share of their profits to Maldivian citizens could bring a major change to the tourism industry, according to tourism pioneer and Crown Company Chairman Hussain “Champa” Afeef.
Speaking at the National Tourism Day ceremony on Saturday evening, 3 October, Afeef welcomed the proposed ownership model, saying it would enable more people to benefit directly from tourism through shares in the resorts.
Afeef, who has been involved in the industry since its beginnings, said he looked forward to the project and hoped the government would implement it successfully. “This is something I am very hopeful for. I wish success in this endeavor,” Afeef said.
He said the policy of distributing tourism income directly to citizens would represent a significant development in the country’s economic structure, 54 years after the industry began.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced the initiative during his Presidential Address to Parliament on 5 February. He said the Cabinet had approved the development of at least 10 resorts through a state-owned enterprise over the following three years.
Under the proposed arrangement, every Maldivian citizen would become an equal shareholder in the resorts, with a majority of their profits distributed annually in foreign currency through direct deposits into citizens’ bank accounts. The President said legislation would establish the shareholding model.
President Muizzu projected that payments would begin in 2030, with each citizen receiving an average minimum of USD 400 a year. He said this would amount to at least USD 2,000 annually for a family of five, alongside each member’s ownership stake in the resorts. These figures are the government’s projections for the initiative.
In a subsequent update on 7 September, the President reaffirmed the plan and said 10 islands had been designated for the project, which he said would be implemented within 36 months.
The initiative follows changes to the Maldives Tourism Act expanding the scope for leasing islands, land and lagoons to state-owned enterprises. Parliament passed the 16th Amendment on 3 December 2025, and the President ratified it on 6 December.
According to the President’s Office, the amendment made companies with at least 45 per cent government ownership eligible to lease land for the development of tourist resorts or integrated tourist resorts. This provides a legal basis for greater state participation in resort development, while the proposed citizen shareholding and dividend arrangements form part of the government’s wider plan.
