Saturday
23rd Nov 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Minister Saeed, Photo: TMJ
Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed has said that women are at the forefront of selling Maldives’ tourism industry. Without women, Maldives’ hospitality would not be complete, Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed has said.
He was speaking at the launch of the Women for Green Tourism program to increase the number of women involved in tourism.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Saeed said the tourism industry accounts for 40 percent of Maldives’ economy, and $80 out of every $100 entering Maldives. Therefore, the absence of even 0.01 percent of women in the tourism industry, which is the largest percentage of the population, will affect the output of the industry, he said.
According to the minister, Maldives is now the country that sets the trend in luxury tourism. It was done with women in the forefront, the minister said.
“The fact to be admitted is that although tourism started in 1972, when India was in the ocean for more than 2,000 years, Maldives sold hospitality,” he said.
"Women are at the forefront of doing that. So Maldives’ beauty is not complete without women. Maldives’ hospitality is not complete without women.”
Other similar beach concept countries that challenge Maldives’ tourism will not be able to provide hospitality, he said. The minister said Maldives’ beaches and services are "unbeatable" for other countries.
“When it comes to destinations of similar beach concept to challenge us in the global market, I don’t believe there can be a second destination that can beat Maldives,” he said.