Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom has praised Dhiggaru, Meemu Atoll, for being an exception in the Maldivian hospitality industry. He made the remarks while speaking at a ceremony in Dhiggaru to officially inaugurate homestay tourism in the Maldives.
At the ceremony, Minister Mausoom said individuals who are exceptional in hospitality and tourism are sincere in their dedication and commitment to serving their guests. He said acquiring investors and establishing guesthouses will not be able to win the hearts of visitors.
Furthermore, Minister Mausoom said Dhiggaru was chosen for the pilot project of homestay tourism due to the high number of youth on the island who work in the tourism sector. The minister also noted the hard work of the youth and the Dhiggaru Island Council in promoting the island for homestay tourism. He expressed hope that homestay tourism will become successful in many islands and generate income and contribute to the rise in living standards for the residents.
Ministry of Tourism has stated the Dhiggaru Island Council has set a target of establishing 50 beds for homestay tourism before the end of January, and to increase the figure to 200 by the end of the council's ongoing term. The ministry is also working to promote, meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) tourism as well as sports and cultural tourism in the Maldives.