President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said thousands of new job opportunities have emerged in the Maldives tourism industry over the last four years. He made the remarks while speaking at the ceremony held to commemorate the first National Tourism Day.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Solih said 33 new resorts and 471 guesthouses opened in the Maldives between November 17, 2018, and September 20, 2022. The president said these 8,385 rooms or 16,783 beds created thousands of jobs in tourism-related sectors. He revealed, as of the end of September 2022, the Maldives had 166 resorts, three yacht marinas, 13 hotels, 721 guesthouses, four home-stay guesthouses, 147 tourist vessels, and seven registered bare-boats, adding there are currently 57,436 tourist beds in the Maldives.
Additionally, President Solih highlighted the administration's efforts to expand tourism, saying the administration's policy was to diversify the industry through partnerships with the private sector. He said the aim was to expand tourism throughout the country and noted the expansion of Hanimaadhoo International Airport, Velana International Airport (VIA), and Gan International Airport. He also said the development of airports, expansion of the seaplane network, and connecting the atolls across the country via Raajje Transport Link (RTL) ferries would boost opportunities for island tourism.
Furthermore, President Solih reflected on how the tourism industry began and flourished in the Maldives. He thanked the tourism industry's pioneers for their endeavours and said tourism had become the primary driving force of the Maldivian economy. He also said it was the responsibility of every citizen to uphold the unique Maldivian qualities that tourists come from far and wide to enjoy. He identified genuine Maldivian hospitality as well as national peace and tranquility as important qualities valued by tourists and prompted all citizens to be mindful of these values.
Also at the ceremony, Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom said the administration was able to implement a minimum wage as the country was recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, while previous governments had failed. He said Maldivian tourism workers are now able to earn a better income that far exceeds the minimum wage.
The administration of President Solih implemented the minimum wage and made it mandatory for tourism businesses to distribute the service charge to their workers. In November 2021, the government set a minimum wage of USD291 per month for small enterprises, where an employee works eight hours per day, while the minimum wage for large companies is USD517 and the minimum wage for medium-level enterprises and civil servants is USD453. Additionally, the income of around 13,000 Maldivian tourism workers was hiked due to the service charge policy.