On the occasion of World Tourism Day 2014, Ministry of Tourism, by collaboration with the different stakeholders of the industry, carried out numerous activities in various locations of Maldives to commemorate this day.

 

Minister’s Address to the public

Minister of Tourism, Honorable Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor addressed the public on the occasion of this important day. The theme set by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for this year’s World Tourism Day is “Tourism and Community Development”, and Honourable Minister emphasized on how tourism promotes opportunities for the Maldives and the role of the Maldivian community in advancing tourism development in the country. The address was broadcasted on national media as well as other key media groups on the occasion of World Tourism Day.

 

Airport Celebrations

Being the first and last point of contact a tourist has with the destination, airports play a vital role in the holiday experience of the visitors of Maldives. Hence, World Tourism Day 2014 was marked with colorful events in all the airports of Maldives. Tourists visiting Maldives on 27^th September were accorded with traditional greetings, cultural performances, traditional gifts and souvenirs, local drinks and decorations were also displayed in all the airports with World Tourism Day Banners and Centerpieces showcasing Maldivian Handicrafts. Airports also received support from the local community in carrying out these celebrations.

 

Tourism Day Supplement

Similar to previous years, Ministry of Tourism issued a supplement, with statements from the UNWTO Secretary General, UN Secretary General, President of Maldives, Minister of Tourism and various industry representatives, embracing the theme of “Tourism and Community Development”. The supplement also included a brief about the project carried out by Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with UNDP and funded by Global Environment Facility. The Tourism Day Supplement was circulated to guests arriving to Maldives, industry stakeholders, schools, local community through the daily newspapers and also published on the official website of the Ministry of Tourism.

 

Environmental Activities

Maldives attracts over one million visitors annually and continues to experience positive growth in arrivals. Along with the numerous benefits Maldives experiences through this flourishing industry, it also produces significant impacts on the natural resources and the social systems. Hence, in order to sustain the tourism industry, the government of Maldives works very closely with the stakeholders and works towards preserving the geography, cultural heritage, natural beauty and the unique biodiversity of the country. The tourism industry in Maldives shares the same vision and this was resembled in the environmental activities taken place during the tourism day celebrations across the nation, which included island cleaning activities, reef cleaning,  tree planting, lagoon cleaning, waste collecting and separating waste for recycling as well as recreation water sports activities targeted at increasing awareness regarding the issue. Some of the participants included Four Seasons Resort Maldives, Kurumba Maldives, Naladhu, Chaayaa Island Dhonveli, Vilureef Beach Resort & Spa, Kuredu Resort & Spa, Huvafen Fushi, Veligandu Island Resort & Spa and Traders Hotel.

 

Panel Discussion

In order to facilitate discussion with the local community and to provide information regarding the happenings of the tourism industry, Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with Maldives Broadcasting Cooperation organized a panel discussion. The panelists for the panel discussion comprised of distinguished representatives from diverse sectors of the industry, who have extensive background and knowledge regarding tourism industry of Maldives.The discussion started off with each panelist’s views and opinions on the tourism industry in the Maldives, especially targeting the theme of the year, Tourism and Community Development. They discussed ways in which the community currently benefits from the industry, potential means by which the benefits could be reaped. They also raised concerns as to what were the barriers that stopped the community from getting the most out of the current opportunities, highlighting on the need to change the social fabric of the nation as well as policies.

 

Bicycle Ride

Focused on raising awareness regarding the issue of climate change and related risks, a bicycle ride at Hulhumale’ was organized by the Tourism Adaptation Project (TAP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism. TAP is a project carried out by Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Global Environment Facility (GEF), aimed at empowering the local community and providing them the required policy environment, regulatory guidance, technical skills and knowledge to ensure that climate change related risks can be factored into day-to-day tourism operations. The objective of this activity was to promote the use of bicycles, or rather replacing motorized vehicles with climate friendly transportation means. Participants for the event included staff of Ministry of Tourism, TAP, UNDP, Maldives Marketing & PR Corporation (MMPRC) and Keen on Bright Change (KBC). The event generated a lot of hype within the community and received immense support from the Guest Houses in Hulhumale’, Housing Development Cooperation and Maldives Police Service.

 

TVM Quiz

A special quiz, starting on the 27^th of September 2014 would stretch on for a week, focused on the tourism industry. With questions derived from short passages broadcasted from Television Maldives (TVM), the winner walks away with a trip to one of the many beautiful resorts in the country.The Quiz which was centered around this year’s theme of Tourism and Community Development also helps to get some basic facts about the industry out to the public, and helps to create overall hype for the celebrations. The winner of the quiz will be awarded 3 nights stay in a resort in Maldives.

 

Live Radio Show

The show which was aired on national radio, featuring Mr. Hassan Zameel representing the Ministry of Tourism, partnering with experts from the field. The program started off with discussions regarding the Tourism industry between the participants and included a report covering the key highlights of the industry, accomplishments in the field, conservation efforts, and statistics. It noted the turning point in the industry with the introduction of guesthouses in 2009. It tied well with the theme of tourism and community development as guesthouses opened the door for the common man to directly reap the benefits of the industry.

The show was also integrated with a short quiz with questions related to the Maldivian tourism industry, focused on providing the general public regarding the tourism industry of Maldives. The winner of the quiz will be awarded 3 nights stay in a resort in Maldives.