The Hotelier Maldives GM Forum 2024: A Focus on Improvement & Innovation

The Hotelier Maldives GM Forum for 2024 was held in September, and an insightful panel discussion on the topic “Shaping the Future: Strategic Insights from Maldives” was successfully hosted. The panel placed emphasis on several critical issues affecting the Maldives economy in four key areas – fiscal policies, aviation infrastructure, foreign investment and tourism.

Based on discussions with 4 distinguished experts, several strategies and themes were discussed. The need to strengthen bilateral agreements with vital source markets like China and the Middle East was one such strategy that was suggested. Another was the expansion of the Velena International Airport’s capacity to enhance the traveller experience and facilitate more domestic connectivity to remote and private islands that have a diving resort in Maldives.

Tourism development was another significant topic discussed by the panel with a focus on the need for new experiences like eco-tourism and cultural tourism. With several hotels like Nh Collection Maldives Havodda Resort already providing unique eco-tourism experiences, the need to expand such initiatives to attract a wider range of tourists was emphasised.