The Government is providing local councils with technical assistance to plan tourism projects that reflect their communities’ requirements, as part of efforts to extend the benefits of tourism across the Maldives. State Minister at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Abdulla Niyaz said the approach combines consultation, project planning and practical support to help councils advance their tourism development priorities.
Speaking on PSM News’ Raajje Miadhu programme, State Minister Niyaz said the Government is working with councils on several initiatives to expand tourism in different parts of the country. These efforts include allocating islands and lagoons in the north and south for various tourism purposes, alongside developing local tourism on inhabited islands.
The support provided to councils includes consultations, cooperation through memorandums of understanding, assistance with bid documentation and technical advice. Niyaz explained that the Government works closely with councils to identify suitable areas and help introduce the tourism products they wish to develop.
“We work with councils to plan projects according to their requirements and hold consultations with them, including through memorandums of understanding,” he said. He added that the assistance is intended to help councils translate their plans into tourism offerings suited to locations identified jointly with the Government.
This collaborative approach gives councils a role in shaping development around local needs. Technical support for planning and bid preparation can help them define projects more clearly and prepare the documentation required to advance investment opportunities.
State Minister Niyaz said tourism development on inhabited islands could deliver significant economic and infrastructural benefits to individual communities. He also highlighted its potential to increase tourism bed capacity and introduce new products, broadening the range of experiences available to visitors.
For island communities, such development could create opportunities for accommodation providers, transport operators, suppliers and other businesses serving visitors. Linking tourism planning with local priorities offers a way to support these opportunities while considering the infrastructure needed for their growth.
Addressing the geographical distribution of the industry, Niyaz said tourism remains concentrated mainly in the central region because of transport connectivity and other factors. The Government is seeking to change that pattern by giving particular priority to development in the north and south.
Transport access is an important part of this strategy. Niyaz said an airport becomes feasible when an area has between 6,000 and 8,000 tourism beds, and noted that major tourism projects have been planned in connection with such airports. His remarks highlighted the relationship between accommodation capacity, visitor demand and the connectivity needed to support regional tourism.
Developing tourism and transport infrastructure in a coordinated way could help more areas participate in the visitor economy. Additional capacity in the north and south would also give travellers a wider choice of destinations and provide a foundation for new tourism experiences.
Niyaz said the Government’s policy is to ensure that every region benefits from tourism, with an inclusive approach intended to allow all Maldivians to share equally in the sector’s opportunities. The emphasis on council partnerships places local participation alongside investment and connectivity in pursuing that objective.
Through technical assistance, consultation and a stronger focus on regional development, the Government is working to broaden tourism’s reach beyond its established concentration. The initiatives aim to connect national development priorities with council-led plans, supporting a more geographically inclusive tourism economy.
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