Tourism in the Maldives

Contents

• 1 Tourism in the Maldives
• 2 The importance of tourism in the Maldives
• 3 types of tourism in the Maldives
• 4 History of tourism in the Maldives
• 5 Percentage of tourists in the Maldives in 2019
• 6 most famous tourist attractions in the Maldives
• 7 references

Tourism in the Maldives

The Maldives is famous for being an important tourist destination; It provides direct air services with 46 countries, and it has 4 major international airports distributed in different regions, and the Maldives can also be reached by cruises via large ships Which number up to 69 ships, knowing that upon arrival in the country the tourist can choose his place of residence from among the wide options available there; Where there are 129 resorts, 12 hotels, 132 yachts, and 488 guest houses, and to get the best experience in the Maldives, the tourist can use the 275 travel and tourism agencies there. ^[1]

Tourism in the Maldives began since the seventies of the last century, and it constituted an important factor in supporting the country’s economy, and attention has been paid to developing all the islands in the Maldives, even the very small islands, and all of these islands are characterized by their welcome to tourists from everywhere, so anyone with a valid passport The effect, sufficient money, and a travel ticket, he can visit it without the need for a visa, as it activates the open door policy (in English: Open Door Policy) in receiving tourists, which helps encourage tourists to visit it from everywhere in the world. ^[2]

The Importance of Tourism in the Maldives

The tourism sector in the Maldives is of great importance, as it is one of the most vital sectors that contribute to earning foreign exchange earnings, ^[3] according to the Ministry of Tourism in the Maldives, the revenues generated by tourism and travel to the country amounted to about 70% of foreign exchange earnings. This sector accounted for 22.7% of the GDP of the Maldives until the end of 2016. ^[4]

There are many factors that contribute to attracting tourists to the Maldives, such as the white sandy beaches, the warm climate it enjoys, and the beautiful marine life under water, in addition to providing a variety of recreational activities, such as: swimming , diving, and windsurfing, ^[3] and this confirms On the importance of the tourism sector in the sustainable development of the Maldives, through its role in supporting the economy by attracting tourists to the country throughout the year, due to the special attractions it provides in certain islands such as Malé, which contains a large number of modern hotels, ^[5]

Tourism began to flourish in the Maldives with the increase in economic activities, and in general the economy of the islands depends mainly on fishing and tourism . To attract tourists, such as providing modern resorts in various coastal areas, and providing tourism activities to attract tourists, as the percentage of revenues collected from tourism-related activities is estimated at more than 90% of the total government revenues, and now the tourism sector has become the most important government sector that generates income for the state. ^[6]

On the other hand, tourism helps support the economy by providing job opportunities for citizens, as the tourism sector in the Maldives is the main sector that provides employment opportunities, ^[4] for example, the hotel sector alone in economically active areas provides approximately 17,000 jobs for the population, and because of Tourism activities have doubled in the country, as the tourism sector may provide approximately 25,000 jobs. ^[7]

The following is a summary of the importance of tourism in the Maldives and its role in making money: ^[8]

• Tourism as a source of foreign exchange: Tourism has a major role in increasing the payments of the Maldives, and it is the largest source of total foreign exchange in the islands, and it has an important role in increasing the state’s foreign exchange revenues by providing imported goods that are consumed by tourists such as food and beverages, and it also has a role in supplying Revenues generated from providing services such as providing hotels to tourists.
• Tourism as a source of local income: Tourism provides an important source of local income through the services it provides to foreign tourists such as food, boat rentals, phone calls, Internet use, government fees, in addition to the money generated from the sale of handicrafts .
• Tourism as a source of national income: Tourism provides an important source of national income, as it has a prominent role in providing high revenues through the imposition of taxes on hotels such as airport tax, and the tourist tax for each night the tourist spends in the hotel or resort. All hotels and resorts must pay the taxes due on them to the government Without regard to the room rate, also the airport departure tax, and import duties on goods consumed by tourists, all of those taxes earn the government large sums.

Types of Tourism in the Maldives

Natural Tourism

Tourism in the Maldives has flourished clearly in the past few decades. Small uninhabited islands have been exploited and a number of tourist resorts have been established in them. These resorts represent a special type of tropical beach resort, as they provide specific services to tourists represented in accommodation, provision of food and drink, providing a suitable place for well-being and recreation; Because of its isolation from the inhabited islands, which led to a significant increase in the number of tourists to enjoy that calm, and in general, natural tourism depends on the coastal environment , as all tourist facilities and activities are directed towards the beach. ^[9]

Cultural Tourism

The Maldives is the smallest Asian country in terms of area and population, so tourists come from everywhere to enjoy the tranquility offered by its resorts in the tropical islands. On the other hand, the Maldives offers opportunities to take a trip to the bustling city of Male, which provides a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture that is unique In the Maldives, due to the diversity of contemporary places and historical places in them, such as mosques dating back to the seventeenth century, and among the most important cultural places that characterize the Maldives: ^[10]

• The National Museum (English: National Museum).
• The Grand Friday Mosque (English: Grand Friday Mosque).
• National Art Gallery (English: National Art Gallery).
• Esjehi Art Gallery.

History of tourism in the Maldives

Tourism began in the Maldives in 1972, when it began with the establishment of only one tourist resort with 280 beds, and then Maldivian tourism began to develop according to five stages, namely: ^[13]

The first stage

During the years (1972-1978), when tourism developed according to individual initiatives and to some extent unplanned, then 17 resorts with 1,300 beds were established, with simple facilities and services; This is due to a lack of funds and workers. At this stage, tourists were transported from the airports to the capital, then to the island by speedboats, and motorized fishing boats. During this stage, tourism did not play an important role in supporting the country’s economy. ^[13]

The second phase

During the years (1979-1988) a large number of resorts were established during a short period, as 41 new resorts were opened, and tourism grew during this phase due to the improvement of the quality of resorts, and the establishment of a wide network of air services by chartering aircraft. ^[13]

In 1983, the first basic plan for tourism was drawn up, and it played an important role in the development of tourism by laying the foundation stone for sustainable development , and providing the opportunity to integrate the tourism sector with the social and economic sectors; For the development of the country and an emphasis on protecting the environment at the same time, the plan identified a number of policies that must be followed, such as determining the space needed to build resorts on it, determining the height of the building in proportion to the height of plants on the island, protecting coral reefs, and protecting the environment. As well as the quality of the services provided to them. ^[13]

Among the most important policies set by the plan: The formation of a law that the proportion of resort construction does not exceed 20% of the total area of ​​the island allocated for tourism, which helped to provide calm and relaxation on those islands. ^[13]

Third level

During the years (1989-1997), tourism grew significantly; Due to the developments in the Maldives and all countries of the world in transportation and technology at the beginning of the nineties, 16 new resorts were established, and the number of beds increased, as 4,920 beds were added. Tourism percentage A large number of expatriate workers have joined the tourism sector. ^[13]

The fourth stage

During the years (1998-2001), the second master plan for tourism was drawn up, and its most important objectives were to expand tourism to include more parts of the country, reduce the proportion of expatriate workers working in the tourism sector, increase the role of women and provide them with opportunities to participate in tourism business. construction of spas; To raise the quality of tourism, many international branded resorts have established themselves in the Maldivian islands, and yachts and safari boats have begun to operate on state trips, in addition to opening resorts far from Male Airport; This is due to the introduction of seaplanes to transport tourists to resorts instead of speed boats. ^[13]

level five

During the years (2002-2008) the third master plan for tourism was launched, which will be implemented during the years 2007-2011, and its main objective was to expand the objectives of tourism to include social, economic and environmental fields more broadly, and the number of tourist islands was also increased during this phase. 35 islands have been allocated for the development of tourism, and hotels have been established within the inhabited islands, and new plans have been developed aimed at reducing the negative impact of tourism, by obligating the resorts on each island to provide several things such as good infrastructure, sanitation, water supply, and energy , and how to dispose of waste by providing suitable mechanisms such as incinerators, compressors, and glass crushers. ^[13]

The percentage of tourists in the Maldives in 2019

In 2019 the Maldives witnessed an increasing growth in the number of tourists coming to visit it. In January of 2019, the number of tourists reached 151,552. This number represents a clear increase in the number of tourists who visited the Maldives in the same month of 2018, with a rate of 6.5 Also, when comparing the number of tourists in February of 2019 with their number in the same month of 2018, an increase of 16.8% is noted, as their number reached about 168,583 tourists. In general, the percentage of tourists coming from European and Eurasian regions increases during the winter season, To escape the cold of winter and enjoy the warmth of the Maldives. [14]

The Maldives is seeking to increase the number of tourists coming to it by increasing tourist ports and facilities, in addition to increasing the number of international commercial airlines that have direct lines with the Maldives, such as Italian and French Airlines, which have organized regular flights on a weekly basis to it, in addition to promoting tourism. In the country as the participation of many Maldivian tourism organizations such as: the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO), and the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Association (MMPRC) in major international exhibitions. ^[14]

The most famous tourist attractions in the Maldives

Among the most famous landmarks in the Maldives are the following: ^[15]

Mofushi

Water activities, such as: diving , boating, kayaking, surfing, and seeing sharks, can be enjoyed on Moofushi Island, and Bluetribe Diving Center is the best place to provide such services. ^[15]

The National Museum

There is the National Museum (English: National Museum) in the Sultan’s Park, which was originally a palace of the former Sultan, but it was converted into a museum to attract tourists, and by visiting the palace, the tourist can understand the history of the Maldives, as it includes the clothes of kings and queens, manuscripts, and pieces Royal cash, and many weapons. ^[15]

Othimo Gandrovardo

Utheemu Ganduvaru Palace is one of the most famous historical places, located on the island of Utheemu (English: Utheemu ). ^[15]

Banana Reef Coral

The Banana Reef area is called by this name because of its upper appearance, and it contains coral reefs similar to bananas. To this place to practice scuba diving. ^[15]

Fomalk Island

Fomalik Island (English: Fua Mulaku) is one of the largest and most fertile Maldives, as many types of vegetables and fruits are produced on a large scale, such as: pineapple, orange, and mango. ^[15]

The reviewer

1. ↑ (2018), Tourism In the Maldives, Maldives: Ministry of Tourism, Page 3،8،10،12،13،28. Edited.
2. ↑ “Maldives”, www.beautifulworld.com,24-7-2018، Retrieved 19-3-2020. Edited.
3. “The Birth of Tourism in the Maldives”, www.themaldivesexpert.com,1-2019، Retrieved 19-3-2020. Edited.
4. Mariyam Manik (30-12-2017), “Maldives remains a tourism-driven economy”، www.hoteliermaldives.com, Retrieved 19-3-2020. Edited.
5. ↑ “Inside the tourism industry of Maldives”, www.asiaoutlookmag.com, Retrieved 19-3-2020. Edited.
6. ↑ Andrew Wein (1-5-2012), “Travel & Tourism Industry in Maldives”، www.tourism-review.com, Retrieved 19-3-2020. Edited.
7. ↑ ” TOURISM SECTOR”, siteresources.worldbank.org, Retrieved 19-3-2020. Page 1. Edited.
8. ↑ Rajasundram Sathiendrakumar, Clement Tisdell (12-1989), “Tourism and the Development of the Maldives”, Annals of Tourism Research, Issue 2, Folder 16, Page 263, 264. Edited.
9. ↑ Manfred Domroes (1993), “MALDIVIAN TOURIST RESORTS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT”, The GeoJournal Library, Page 69. Edited.
10. Helen Armitage (9-2-2017), “Top Cultural Sights And Venues In Malé, Maldives”، theculturetrip.com, Retrieved 19-3-2020. Edited.
11. ↑ “HUKURU MISKIIY”, www.ixigo.com, Retrieved 19-3-2020. Edited.
12. ↑ “HULHUMALÉ”, www.ixigo.com, Retrieved 19-3-2020. Edited.
13. Suresh Kundur (4-2012), “DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN MALDIVES”, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Issue 4, Folder 2, Page 3, 4. Edited.
14. “A FORECAST AT THE TOURIST ARRIVALS TO MALDIVES IN 2019”, mbr.mv,28-4-2019، Retrieved 19-3-2020. Edited.
15. “Top 5 Tourist Attractions Of Maldives”, www.traveltourxp.com, Retrieved 19-3-2020. Edited.