Tourism Ministry Introduces Strict Ad Guidelines

The Ministry of Tourism and Environment has announced new regulations to improve how tourist facilities in the Maldives are advertised. These changes are aimed at making sure all advertisements give a true and accurate picture of what tourists can expect.

The regulation applies to all types of advertising including print, digital, online, video and social media content. Its main goal is to make sure promotional material shows real information about tourist facilities, their surroundings and the services they offer.
The Ministry has made it clear that all advertisements must follow Maldivian laws and must not go against local culture, religion or community standards. They must also show respect to other countries, cultures and individuals.

Only content that shares factual and correct information can be used. Advertised facilities and services must be registered with the Ministry of Tourism or have an official operating license. The content must also reflect the exact category under which the license was issued.

The new regulation will apply to tourist resorts, integrated tourist resorts, private islands, hotels, guest houses, tourist vessels, yacht harbours, diving service providers and water sports and excursion centres.

The Ministry hopes these new rules will help increase tourist satisfaction by making sure the services they see in advertisements match what they experience during their stay.