Tourism

The Third Tourism Master Plan (2007-2011) was developed by the Government of the Maldives with the support of UNWTO.

In the Maldives, development activities are mainly centred upon the tourism industry and its complementary service sectors. The tourism sector is one of the largest employers in the country and contributes about a third of the Maldives’ annual GDP, indirectly contributing to many sectors. The number of tourists visiting the Maldives annually nearly tripled from 1992 to 2007, reaching 676,000 visitors. It is a very fragile industry, however, and could significantly degrade the environment on which it is so dependent if not properly planned and managed. Over-development of tourism in particular areas could be environmentally and culturally disruptive and detrimental to other valuable sectors. Intensive tourism is contributing to damage to the coral reef habitat through pollution from boats, hotels and other infrastructure and by excessive walking on coral or its removal for souvenirs. More than 90% of all resort infrastructure and 99% of all tourist accommodation are within 100 meters of coastline, making the industry highly vulnerable to sea-level rise, and 50% or resorts report soil erosion on their properties. The tourism sector is reliant on climate conditions and biodiversity to remain marketable, and climate change threatens the industry's viability and profitability. As most tourists come to the Maldives to dive or snorkel, any damage to reefs through natural disasters, sea-temperature warming or human-induced environmental degradation will directly affect the profitability of the industry.