Ministry of Tourism has announced homestay tourism will be launched in the Maldives on January 1, 2022.
Homestay is a popular tourism model where tourists share a residence with a local household in the country they are traveling. The tourism ministry revealed the pilot project of homestay tourism in the Maldives is being conducted in four households of Dhiggaru, Meemu Atoll.
Speaking at a press conference held on December 29, 2021, Deputy Minister of Tourism Assad Riza said homestay tourism is being introduced in the Maldives to allow more locals to get involved in the tourism sector and to generate more benefit from the sector to local communities. He noted homestay tourism will help to diversify the sector and to advertise the Maldives as an affordable tourist destination.
Speaking at the press conference, Senior Executive Director at the tourism ministry Ali Razzan said the people of Dhiggaru are looking forward to the introduction of homestay tourism in the island. He noted the Dhiggaru Island Council has set a target of establishing 50 beds for homestay tourism before the end of January, and to increase this figure to 200 by the end of the council’s ongoing term.
In addition to homestay, the tourism ministry is also working to promote sports tourism, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions) tourism and cultural tourism in the Maldives.