Tourism Upbeat - a fresh initiative
The four pioneers of Maldives tourism speak of their journey, and future potential and prospects for the country.
Source - AP
The first session of Tourism Upbeat – The Pioneer's Talk, an interactive discussion platform focusing on the 50-year journey of tourism in the Maldives, was held on 1 February through a combined effort of the Ministry of Tourism and the tourism industry. The talk show is part of a set of various activities planned by the Ministry of Tourism to mark the celebrations of 50 years of successful and sustainable growth of the Maldives' tourism industry. The Golden Jubilee anniversary of Maldives' tourism falls on 3 October 2022.
It was held at the auditorium of the Maldives National University, with Travel and Tourism students and teachers from many schools and notable figures fro mthe tourism industry in attendance. The discussion was also broadcast live, and although it was aimed mainly at students, members of the general public were welcomed to join and participate in the discussions as well.
The panel consisted of pioneers of Maldives' tourism: Maldives Association of Tourism (MATI) Chairman Mr. Mohamed Umar Manik, Minister of Health Mr. Ahmed Naseem, MATI Vice Chairman Mr. Hussain Afeef, and Italian visionary Mr. George Corbin, who brought the first group of tourists to the country on 16 February 1972. The host of this session of the talk show was Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom.
It was a hybrid discussion session; the tourism pioneers spoke about their personal experiences in the industry, with audience members given the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the speakers. The discussion mainly focused on the growth of the industry as a whole and provided a unique opportunity for students to gain first-hand knowledge and insight from industry leaders who spearheaded the industry into what it is today.
The panel highlighted the importance of ideas and innovation in the development and prosperity of a country, as well as the commitment to and determination in pursuing these ideas and dreams. They also spoke of the how far the industry has come, how far the country has come, from having no flights to the country, two cars and several bicycles in the capital, to a multi-billion-dollar luxury destination.
George Corbin, the Italian tour operator who brought the first tourists to the Maldives, spoke of taking a three-day, two-night voyage from Colombo to the Maldives via boat. His first thought on seeing the country was that he had "arrived in Paradise," a concept that is still used to describe the beautiful country. Eight months later, Kurumba Resort was opened, albeit amidst many challenges. He spoke of the potential of the Maldives, the opportunities available with the large number of uninhabited islands. He also spoke of the importance of connectivity between the Maldives and other markets, as well as the potential in the US market for Maldives tourism. He noted that similar destinations closer to the Americas is very saturated, and the unparalleled beauty the Maldives has to offer – through its natural characteristics as well as the hospitable people.
“Maldives of those days (is) the Maldives of today, in which way the beauty of the islands hasn’t changed. The beaches, the islands, the coconut trees, the resorts, are all there. But what’s most important is the people; the Maldivians are exactly the same as they were like 50 years ago. They have advanced in many things, but their attitudes, their culture is the same and that’s very important because when you say the country is beautiful you can’t just look at the scenery, you have to consider the people as well. There are places where the scenery is great but the people aren’t warm, or friendly or humble as Maldivians are.”
On the changing market and demand, the panel spoke of the need to offer something more than what the tourists have paid for. To always be on the lookout for that extra value, that extra experience, that will leave a lasting impression on them. The panel also highlighted that development of the industry should be left to the private sector, with the government playing only a regulatory role. They stated that this was one of the main reasons for the exponential success of the Maldivian tourism industry – that there had been no commercial involvement by the government when the industry initially started. The role of the government should be to make it easier and to reduce bottlenecks for new entrants and incumbents in the industry.
The panel also noted the role played by a woman pioneer, Saleema Razaq, Minister Naseem's sister, who took on the completion of Kurumba Resort, after Naseem, M.U. Manik and Afeef were imprisoned, exiled and arrested. They also noted the contribution of women and girls, especially schoolchildren from Aminiya, to the development of tourism in the country.
The panel noted that it was advantageous for the industry with the entry of big brand international chains – the competition motivated improvements in quality of the service and produce offered, management structure and human resources, as well as placed Maldives on the world map for tourism. The entrance of international chains also instilled confidence and guaranteed the quality of the service offered by the country.
On the use of local products such as fangi, and food products, the panel noted that given that tourism is a commercial venture, quality and price played a major role in this. They noted that the quality of the fangi has declined, whereas the price has increased. Emphasis was also placed on a continued and guaranteed source of supply to ensure that the resorts demanded it. On plans to improve employment opportunities for locals, the panel noted that there were enormous opportunities in the industry. However, it noted that supply of local labour – in terms of young, trained and educated Maldives – was lacking.
On the impact of the pandemic on Maldivian tourism, Afeef noted that it has changed the perspective within the industry. Tourists are not just focusing on a fun and exciting visit, but safety also plays a major role. The pandemic has also opened the floodgates for online tour operators, as the monopoly of walk-in tour operator offices are diminishing.
The talk show yielded a good spirited, informative discussion among the panelists, host, and members in attendance. The next discussion from this series will be focused on ‘Women in Tourism’, for which a date is yet to be finalised. The entirety of ‘Tourism Upbeat - The Pioneer’s Talk’ digital live stream is available for any interested member of the general public to view via Raajje TV’s Facebook page.
