What are the goals in tourism development?

  • Maldives launched a Tourism Master Plan every 5 years. In 2019, the 5th Tourism Master Plan for the 2020-2025 period was published continuing to focus on sustainable development in this country. This is one of the long-term goals in tourism development that Maldives has been working on for years
  • The president stated that this plan would allow for an equitable distribution of tourism projects throughout all of the Maldives’ atolls, so that communities across the entire breadth of the country will have access to its benefits.
  • The five-year master plan will focus on seeking the challenges and complaints in the tourism industry, in order to address and counter them effectively. Moreover, the new master plan will also give priority towards recruiting qualified personnel while paralleling the growth of skilled workers through training and education.
  • Under the master plan, a specific authority will be enacted which will hold the responsibility of accepting, lodging and inspecting complaints and issues raised by tourism industry personnel.
  • The fifth tourism master plan also dives deep towards tourism sustainability, focusing on key segments which will fortify a growing and sustained economic sector.
  • The framework, which calls for consultations amongst relevant authorities and industry stakeholders, emphasises sustainable development of tourism in the Maldives for the 2020-2025 period. It covers nine major areas:
  • Identifying ways to develop and expand the tourism industry
  • Expanding the role of women in the tourism industry
  • Promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, environmental conservation and use of renewable energy across the tourism industry
  • Strengthening the legal framework governing the tourism industry
  • Identifying the steps to be taken to ensure the safety and security of tourists
  • Conducting research to identify ways to retain revenue generated from tourism in the Maldives and taking necessary
  • Identifying ways to conserve the Maldives’ heritage and culture through the expansion and promotion of tourism
  • Increasing job opportunities for locals in the tourism industry and identifying the human resources needs of the industry
  • Identifying ways to promote and market the Maldives’ tourism

How to achieve the goals?

  • To achieve this, the current government aims to give prime focus towards the employees in the tourism industry in order to gain their insight and take their concerns on a more serious note.
  • One of the focus of the government is also to improve the wages or salaries for tourism industry personnel 
  • The importance of tying the country’s culture and heritage to the tourism industry more strongly in order to strengthen an even more unique tourism identity.
  • The Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation announced a new tourism strategy for 2020. The plan includes a stronger focus on promoting the rich culture of the destination, as well as developing niche markets such as MICE, culture and sports tourism.

The Maldives is a destination traditionally known for its high-end resort accommodation popular with honeymooners, however in 2020 will see a stronger focus by MMPRC on promoting the diverse range of activities available to tourists such as beach volleyball, badminton and surfing.

  • There has been an increase of interest in experiential experiences. This will be promoted by developing a strategy centred around cultural tourism to help showcase Maldivian life to visitors through local cuisine, cultural performances, traditional handicrafts and heritage sites.
  • Luxury accommodations (hotels, resorts…) continue to play a key role in the tourism development plan of Maldives. 
  • All previous Tourism Master Plans can be viewed at https://www.tourism.gov.mv/en/downloads/master_plan except the fifth Tourism Master Plan for the period of 2020-2025. 

 

References (APA) 

Gaitonde, A. (2020). Maldives focuses on sustainable luxury tourism as sea level rises.  EcoTourism Expert. Retrieved from https://eco-tourism.expert/en/expertise/maldives-focuses-on-sustainable-luxury-tourism-as-sea-level-rises

Maldives puts niche markets at centre of 2020 tourism strategy. (2019). Breaking Travel News. Retrieved from https://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/maldives-unveils-2020-tourism-strategy/

Maldives unveils framework for new sustainability-focused tourism master plan. (2019).  Maldives Insider. Retrieved from https://maldives.net.mv/32216/maldives-unveils-framework-for-new-sustainability-focused-tourism-master-plan/

PREZ SOLIH INITIATES FRAMEWORK FOR FIFTH TOURISM MASTER PLAN. (2019). Maldives Business Review. Retrieved from https://mbr.mv/6177/?fbclid=IwAR2omGtO9srSzZM8wkTylkWPeEW9QDPcoNueaMy-1SxadODVnmrmx2FmnQI

 

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Achieved the Safety Travels stamp endorsed by the World Travel and Tourism Council. This is the world’s first global safety and hygiene stamp for Travel and Tourism designed to address COVID-19 and similar outbreaks.

A summary of Maldives tourism policies during COVID-19 pandemic

1/ For resorts and other tourism establishments

  • Must have a COVID-19 safe plan based on the guideline of the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
  • Must have a task COVID-19 force who will be responsible for making key policies, implementing public health measures, coordinating with HPA and initiating contact tracing.
  • Must have designed rooms for isolation for guests and staff. 
  • Must have personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Must have COVID-19 protocols for managing COVID suspects, positive patients and high risk contacts.
  • Must train staff for implementing COVID-19 protocols.
  • Must have a medical clinic which meets the standards of Ministry of Health
  • Must have a medical officer and a nurse to orient on the COVID-19 safe plan and protocols.
  • Counters should have glass or plastic partitions.
  • Display health education materials about COVID-19
  • All touched points and surfaces should be disinfected.
  • Ensure a minimal of 1 metre between seatings.
  • Avoid keeping book, magazines which could get contaminated.
  • Encourage cashless transactions.
  • Should have foot operated, lidded and double bags dustbins for safe disposal of waste.
  • Reducing the number of staff attending to receive the guests.
  • Should have an online check-in and check-out mechanism.
  • Must have booking systems for spa, sauna, gym, diving services and other excursions. Ask the guest regarding any fever or respiratory symptoms at the time of making the booking. Symptomatic people should not be allowed to use the services.
  • Waste from a room where a person is quarantined or isolated must be labelled as “infectious waste”. 
  • A tourist who is under quarantine or isolation should not be allowed to exit the resort. 

2/ For tourists

  • Must submit a health declaration Maldives immigration website 24 hours prior to departure to Maldives.
  • Must wear masks in the airports and enclosed spaces where physical distancing is not possible.
  • Follow respiratory etiquette.
  • Ensure physical distance at all times.
  • Practice using hand sanitizer oftenly.
  • Must undergo thermal screening at the airport arrival terminal.
  • Are encouraged to install the contact tracing app “TraceEkee”
  • Are recommended to check self temperature once a day
  • Guests who have any symptoms must isolate themselves and report to guest service.

3/ For staff and officers who works in the airport, the resorts and other tourism establishments

  • Must wear PPE such as masks, face shields (for those who cannot maintain physical distancing)  and work clothes.
  • Must maintain physical distancing when serving the guests.
  • Perform frequent hand sanitization.
  • Must download and use the contact tracing app “TraceEkee” for easy contact tracing. 
  • Temperature must be checked for every staff. Any staff who has symptoms should be informed to the medical clinic and should be isolated. 
  • Maldivians and expatriate workers who travel directly to the resort after arriving in Maldives must undergo a mandatory quarantine period of 14 days in the resort followed by PCR testing for COVID-19. If the result of the test is negative, they will be released from quarantine.  
  • Regular staff whose work is based in the resort must not be allowed to travel daily back and forth for work between their resident islands and the resort. They should be provided a fixed accommodation at the resort. 
  • If a staff travels to a resort from greater Male’ Region or any island where COVID-19 is known to exist, they must undergo a 14-day period of quarantine at the resort followed by PCR testing for COVID-19.
  • If a staff travels from the resort to an island where there is no community spread of COVID-19 they must undergo a 14-day period of quarantine upon arrival to the island. The quarantine period should be followed by testing for COVID-19. 

4/ Protocols to respond a suspected case of COVID-19 

  • If any tourist or staff is detected or reported to have symptoms, they must be examined by a doctor.
  • If patients’ symptoms are compatible with COVID-19, the medical officer will take the tourists sample (nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab) for PCR testing for COVID-19.
  • They must be isolated until the results of the PCR test at a resort or at a designated transit facility.
  • If the result of the PCR test is positive, the tourist will continue isolation at the resort or a designated isolation facility. The duration of isolation period for a patient who is in community-based isolation will be 14 days after symptom onset and at least 3 days without symptoms. Upon completion of the isolation period, the patient will be released.
  • If the result of the PCR test is negative, the tourist will be released from quarantine.
  • Although released from quarantine, a symptomatic tourist must wear a mask when going out of the room, observe physical distancing measures and must avoid public gatherings such as going to the restaurant until 48 hours after resolution of symptoms. A symptomatic tourist should be reviewed periodically by the health professional at the resort until symptoms resolve. 

 

COVID-19 Recovery Strategies

1/ Pillar 1: Health First: Protecting health services and systems during the crisis

  • It is necessary to strengthen the health support systems through continued and coordinated technical support, capacity building, including procurement of essential medicines and medical equipment supplies for COVID-19 and non-COVID health issues, focusing on the health needs and rights of the vulnerable groups.

2/ Pillar 2: Protecting people: Social protection and and basic services

  • Mental health and Psychosocial Support Service enhanced for all, especially vulnerable groups.
  • Protection of Migrants in all areas of life (equal and non-discriminatory access to health services, livelihoods, legal, labor rights, security, anti-trafficking).
  • Gender equality enhanced by effective protection, prevention of Gender Based Violence, and women’s political and economic empowerment.

3/ Pillar 3: Economic response and recovery: Protecting jobs, small and medium sized enterprises, and the informal sector workers

  • Economic recovery to build back better ensured by avoiding permanent poverty traps, and by establishing a new normal towards diversified and stronger small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), rebound on tourism including use of digital and innovative tools, and circularity for sustainable consumption and production, improved access to digital financing and green technologies, for improving livelihoods choices for youth and women. Food security and nature-based livelihoods, that are climate resilient and just, are improved.
  • Accelerate labor governance for decent work for women, youth and migrants.
  • Diversify, green and blue livelihoods and economy, including tourism sector, agri-business, and other sectors, focusing on SMEs strengthening and inclusion of youth and women economic empowerment.

4/ Pillar 4: Macro-economic response and multilateral collaboration

  • Improved system of fiscal and monetary coordination established, post-Covid-19 Sustainable Development Goal financing gap estimated, fiscal and monetary risks, and avenues for new revenues sources identified and improved; and, collaboration with multilateral development cooperation established.
  • Financing for Sustainable Development Goals with prioritized allocation to protecting and empowering the vulnerable population

4/ Pillar 5: Social cohesion and community resilience

  • Improved social cohesion by the promotion of safe, inclusive, and resilient communities that are disaster-prepared, promote blue economy, and low-carbon development.
  • Prevention of Violent Extremism for improved social cohesion and justice for all
  • Decentralized and resilient communities empowerment and democratic governance

national responses

References

Ministry of Tourism Republic of Maldives (2020, September 15). Maldives achieved the Safe Travels stamp granted by World Travel & Tourism Council. Retrieved from https://www.tourism.gov.mv/en/news/maldives_achieved_the_safe_travels_stamp_granted_by_world_travel_tourism_council_wttc_

Ministry of Health Republic of Maldives (2020, August 2). Public health interventions to prevent COVID-19 transmission in the tourism sector. Retrieved from https://www.tourism.gov.mv/en/circulars/revised_guidelines_restricting_locals_from_using_tourist_facilities  

United Nation in Maldives (2020). COVID-19 socio-economic response and recovery framework. Retrieved from https://unsdg.un.org/sites/default/files/2020-08/MDV_Socioeconomic-Response-Plan_2020.pdf