"Today, we are proud of the accomplishments in making Maldives a trusted brand worldwide," VP Faisal

Vice President Faisal Naseem states on Wednesday, June 15^th that as the Maldives commemorates the 50th anniversary of tourism this year, we must address the plethora of issues that we confront in ensuring inclusive community development and altering people's livelihoods. The administration, according to the VP, wants to make the Maldives a more accessible and inclusive tourist destination for everyone.
 
VP offered these remarks at the CROSSROADS Maldives during the opening of the "UNWTO Global Summit on Community-based Tourism." The Summit, co-organized by the Ministry of Tourism and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), will focus on how community-based tourism may help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the difficulties and possibilities that come with it.
 
Speaking during the occasion about the history of tourism in the Maldives and the different challenges that tourism pioneers had to face in order to revolutionize the Maldivian economy, VP made some remarks "Today, we are proud of the accomplishments of the pioneers and those who followed in their footsteps in making the Maldives a trusted brand worldwide," he said.
 
Furthermore, VP noted that the administration has rapidly ramped up infrastructural improvements as part of its present efforts to enhance tourism even more. In this context, he said that the administration has opened 426 tourism facilities in the last three and a half years, expanding capacity by almost 14,000 beds. He also mentioned that 107 resorts are now under construction across the country, with 22 new properties slated to open by the end of 2023. He went on to state that the capacity would increase by 5,000 beds as a result of the additions.
 
VP also emphasized the Maldives' tourism sector and economy's slump, which he blamed on Covid-19. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's vision and leadership in driving the Maldives toward resilience and recovery were praised by him. He stated that, while the road to recovery is long and building a resilient economy will be difficult, we must maximize the tourism industry's potential for inclusive development.
 
In this regard, VP remarked that we must do more to support our joint efforts to safeguard the environment, as well as adopt innovative approaches to exploiting and distributing the advantages of innovation in a fair and equitable manner throughout our communities.
 
Concluding his speech, VP noted that innovative solutions are required to reverse the poor growth of micro and small businesses. He emphasized the significance of reconstructing the tourism industry in a safe, egalitarian, and climate-friendly manner, ensuring that tourism once again provides decent jobs, stable incomes, and the preservation of our cultural and natural legacy.