Wednesday
18th Dec 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal, Photo: The Maldives Journal
Maldives has witnessed a record-breaking year in tourism, earning MVR 437 million in state revenue from tourism activities in 2024, excluding taxes. This figure marks a significant leap compared to the combined revenue of MVR 210 million from 2022 and 2023.
Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal shared these achievements during an appearance on MMTV’s "Bodu Khabaru" program, attributing the surge in revenue to strategic initiatives such as leasing islands for resort development and extending existing resort leases.
Minister Faisal highlighted several milestones achieved by the tourism sector this year:
- The Maldives won the World's Leading Destination Award for the fifth consecutive year.
- For the first time, the Maldives received the World's Leading Green Destination Award.
- Tourism records were broken, with a single-day arrival of 10,213 tourists on February 11 and a total of 217,392 tourists visiting in February alone.
- The one-million-tourist milestone was reached earlier than ever before, with the two-million mark expected to be surpassed by the end of December.
“These achievements demonstrate the global recognition of the Maldives as a premier destination and the strength of our tourism strategies,” Minister Faisal noted.
The minister also addressed challenges related to undeveloped islands allocated for resort development. Since assuming office, he has reduced the number of such islands from 63 to 58, working to reclaim those from developers unable to fulfill commitments. Legal consultations with the Attorney General’s Office are ongoing to ensure proper reclamation.
Notably, L. Hulhimendhoo has been allocated to the Maldives National University (MNU) for the establishment of a high-standard training resort. This facility aims to attract international students and strengthen tourism education.
Reflecting on the year, Faisal described 2024 as a landmark period for Maldivian tourism, with record revenues and international recognition reinforcing the sector’s global stature. The government, he assured, remains dedicated to sustaining and expanding these achievements in the coming years.