Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom has stated the safety of the Maldives as a tourist destination was shown to the world by tourists who visited the country.
Speaking at a webinar hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation of Germany, Minister Mausoom said the decision to reopen borders in July 2020, more than three months after borders were closed due to COVID-19, was not an easy decision. The minister said since the reopening of borders, the Maldivian tourism industry has seen rapid progress in tourist activity, helped by tourists who showed the world that the Maldives is a safe destination. He also highlighted the efforts of the industry stakeholders to make the tourism industry safe, through the vaccination programme for resort workers and the COVID-19 insurance policies.
Speaking at the webinar, Managing Director of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) Thoyyib Mohamed said the turning all of MMPRC’s activities to digital activities was a major challenge that came with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he said MMPRC has been able to conduct highly successful marketing campaigns targeting different tourist markets over the last two years.
During the webinar, discussions were also held on the impact of climate change on tourism. As such, Parliamentarian Ahmed Saleem highlighted the risks the Maldives faces in losing its sandy beaches due to climate change. He highlighted the importance of timely climate action to provide a sustainable future for the tourism industry.