The Maldives has co-chaired the 36th Joint Commission Meeting of the United Nation's World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Commission for East Asia and Pacific and the Commission for South Asia (CAP-CSA). The meeting, held in Cebu, Philippines, saw the attendance from tourism member countries, affiliate members, and representatives from international and regional institutions.
Minister of State for Tourism Dr. Abdulla Niyaz represented the Maldives at the meeting. In his address, Dr. Niyaz emphasised the critical importance of developing the tourism industry based on sustainable policies. He highlighted that while the Maldives is renowned for its luxury tourism market, sustainable tourism principles form the foundation of the country's tourism development strategy.
During the meeting, several key discussions took place, focusing on the implementation of eco-friendly tourism, exploring ways to integrate eco-friendly practices into the sustainable tourism industry. Additionally, the conversation centered on product development and green transformation, promoting innovation, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through green initiatives. The participants also reviewed policies related to skill development and training, emphasizing the importance of developing and training employees within the tourism industry to adapt to these new sustainable practices.
The tourism ministry expressed confidence in the meeting's potential to further promote sustainable tourism practices and strengthen relations with various countries in the Asia and Pacific region within the tourism sector.