Honourable Ministers, Mr. Hussain Afeef, Mrs. Amy Stierli, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am delighted to be here today for the re-opening of Mirihi Island Resort. My warm congratulations to the owners and operators of the hotel, Manta Maldives, and to the management and staff on this important occasion.
Mirihi has indeed an impressive track record. For three years running, from 1996 to 1998, under the management of Hotel and Travel, the island had won the highest occupancy award in the category of resorts with a bed capacity of less than 100.
Today, after a change of ownership and management in the year 2001, the island re-opens with substantial upgrading of its facilities, increasing its appeal to visitors. The additional investment highlights the confidence the industry has in the future. The emphasis in our hospitality services today is on improving quality to reach the finest standards, while, at the same time, protecting the very essence of the unique and pristine environment of the country.
The growth of the sector over the past thirty years has been remarkable, as has also been its contribution to our economic and social development. We began in 1972 with very modest facilities. The first resorts that were opened in the Maldives were little more than diving camps that attracted just over 1,000 visitors in the first year. However, the trade expanded rapidly, at an annual average rate of 27 percent, and remains a success story in which the nation can take justifiable pride.
One of our hosts today, Mr. Hussain Afeef, is among the pioneers of our tourism. He is today a living legend in the business, having built and developed a remarkably successful career in the field over the past three decades. He is also a very versatile man, having served the nation as a distinguished sportsman. Today, he remains a highly respected member of the society, committed to the economic and social welfare of the country.
Our other host, the charming Mrs. Amy Stierli, also is an eminent and experienced figure in the travel trade. She is a genuine representative of the valuable foreign investors whose vision and business acumen had contributed to the success of our hospitality ventures over the past 30 years. I understand that under her management, Manta Reisen has become the leading Swiss tour operator to the Maldives, increasing annual arrival figures from 2,000 to 12,000.
Indeed, from the outset, private sector initiative, foreign investment, and the hard work of those who have served in the industry have played a crucial role in the growth of tourism in the Maldives. Liberal national policies, rapid infrastructure development through Government investment, private enterprise and better co-ordination between the Government and the industry have seen its share in the economy rise sharply to reach, by 1987, 17% of GDP with 131,000 arrivals.
That was before the opening of the second tourism zone here at North and South Ari Atoll. Today, we have a total of 87 resorts drawing almost half a million tourists annually. The share of the sector in the GDP now stands around 31 percent.
Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Tourism in the Maldives is truly a national endeavour. Everyone contributes, and everyone benefits, whether or not one is directly engaged in its operations. The downturn suffered by the travel business in the wake of increased international terrorism in 2001 dampened all areas of the national economy.
Today, our industry has recovered, and we look forward to a positive trend throughout the economy. The Maldives remains an attractive holiday destination because of its unspoiled natural environment and because of the country’s peace and calm.
Indeed, legislation, Government policy and corporate strategy all emphasise the importance of conservation of the environment in order to achieve sustainable growth of tourism, and of economic development of the Maldives in general.
The travel trade has brought the country not only development and fame, but also national prestige. Our beach resorts are often counted amongst the finest and the best in the world. I congratulate the vision of our entrepreneurs and the dedication of all those who work in the field for their commitment to high standards and distinction.
Mirihi Island Resort, with its new and upgraded facilities is a fine example of that spirit, and I wish the enterprise even greater heights of success in the time to come.
Thank you.