The Ministry of Tourism has extended the deadline for submissions for the Underwater Photo Competition to October 21.
The photo competition is being held as part of the year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the tourism industry in the Maldives. The tourism ministry will be accepting photos of 50 dive spots in the Maldives for the competition. Each registered participant will be able to submit a maximum of five photos and the ministry will be choosing the 50 best sites that showcase the natural beauty of the Maldivian coral reefs. A special panel will be judging the submissions and announcing the winners.
The ceremony to inaugurate the underwater photo competition was held virtually on Zoom. Renowned diver Hussain Rasheed (Sandy) began the registration for the event, which is being held in collaboration with the Maldives Alliance for Dive Operators (MADO) and Ocean Geographic.
At the ceremony, Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom highlighted that the Maldives is known for its dive sites and emphasised the importance of preserving the coral reefs. He said that the photo competition will be held every year and will focus on the need to preserve the coral reefs. He noted that photos can highlight the drastic changes being made to the reefs and the competition is important for sustainable tourism.