The government will establish a favourable environment to advance the nation’s tourism industry, Mohamed Ameen, the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, announced, characterising the development of the sector as a deeply collaborative endeavour. Addressing the Maldives Tourism Intelligence Quarterly Briefing, Minister Ameen highlighted the upcoming 'Visit Maldives Year' initiative, designed to broaden market access and expand economic opportunities for local communities across individual islands.
Praising Maldivians for adapting swiftly to industry shifts, Minister Ameen cited key statistics from the 2025 Visitor Survey as proof of high service standards. "According to the results of that survey, more than 85 per cent of the tourists who visited the Maldives in 2025 wish to return to the Maldives," Minister Ameen elaborated, noting that over 90 per cent would recommend visiting and over 80 per cent expressed extreme satisfaction.
Turning to external vulnerabilities, he noted that Middle Eastern aviation disruptions caused a four-month contraction in tourist arrivals before joint public-private efforts restored normal operations by early July. To mitigate headwinds, national carrier Maldivian has commenced flights to Australia, while negotiations continue to initiate Ethiopian Airlines services by early next year.
Cautioning that route expansions alone cannot revitalise the sector, Minister Ameen stressed that success depends on collective commitment. "Every endeavour related to tourism is a shared effort," Minister Ameen asserted. "The most crucial role of the government will be to secure a favourable environment for this national initiative." He concluded the briefing by appealing for broad industry cooperation and expressing gratitude for the private sector's ongoing contributions to the national tourism agenda.