The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has launched a new initiative aimed at increasing public participation in the tourism industry, with plans to introduce a community-based tourism model designed to create greater opportunities for local residents.
The ministry announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNFPA Maldives to develop and implement a People-Centered Community Tourism Empowerment Model, a programme intended to ensure local communities play a more active role in tourism development.
The pilot phase of the initiative will be rolled out in four islands in Baa Atoll — Dharavandhoo, Dhonfanu, Kihaadhoo and Kudarikilu — areas located within one of the Maldives’ most prominent tourism regions.
According to the ministry, the programme seeks to create a more inclusive tourism sector by expanding opportunities for women, young people and senior citizens to participate in tourism-related economic activities. Officials said the model is designed to support family-based tourism enterprises and encourage broader community involvement in the industry’s growth.
Tourism remains the Maldives’ largest economic sector, generating the majority of the country’s foreign currency earnings and supporting thousands of jobs. While the industry has traditionally been driven by resorts, recent years have seen growing efforts to increase benefits for local communities through guesthouse tourism, community-based enterprises and island development initiatives.
The ministry said the new model aims to ensure that the perspectives, priorities and needs of island communities are incorporated into future tourism expansion plans.
As part of the first stage of the project, detailed community mapping exercises will be conducted across the four islands. The findings are expected to help shape future phases of the programme, including capacity-building initiatives, skills development and productivity enhancement projects.
Officials believe the approach will help identify local strengths, opportunities and challenges while ensuring that tourism growth is aligned with community aspirations.
The partnership with UNFPA also reflects a broader focus on inclusive development, with particular emphasis on increasing economic opportunities for groups that may not traditionally benefit directly from tourism activities.
The Maldives has increasingly promoted sustainable and community-driven tourism models in recent years as the country seeks to diversify tourism experiences beyond the traditional resort sector. Policymakers have argued that expanding participation at the island level can help distribute the economic benefits of tourism more widely across the country.
The ministry said the People-Centered Community Tourism Empowerment Model is intended to create a more sustainable and locally driven tourism ecosystem, with island communities positioned as active partners rather than passive beneficiaries of tourism development.
If successful, the pilot programme could provide a framework for expanding similar community-based tourism initiatives to other islands across the Maldives in the future.
