President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has declared October 3 a government holiday.
The President’s Office stated President Solih declared October 3 a holiday in accordance with the recommendations of his cabinet ministers. President Solih declared October 3 as the National Tourism Day in 2021 while delivering his remarks at the ceremony held to launch the official one-year countdown to the 50th anniversary of the tourism industry of the Maldives.
At the ceremony, President Solih revealed the government decided to dedicate a day for the occasion since the Maldives does not mark a specific day to celebrate the achievements of the tourism sector. In previous years, such celebrations were held coinciding with International Tourism Day marked on September 27. The president clarified that National Tourism Day is attributed to the opening of the first resort in the Maldives, which was Kurumba Village established at Vihamanaafushi near Male' City on October 3, 1972.
The government and stakeholders are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the tourism industry of the Maldives throughout 2022.