MATI Hosts 3rd Member Forum to Address Key Tourism Challenges

Thursday 15th of May 2025

The Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) hosted the 3rd edition of its Member Forum on May 14, 2025, at H. Meerumaa in Male’. The event brought together tourism industry stakeholders, including government officials and MATI members, to discuss critical challenges facing the sector.

The Forum kicked off with opening remarks and a video presentation, reflecting on the successes of the first two editions and highlighting key unresolved issues. One of the primary topics of discussion was the regulatory changes affecting the environment, with a panel moderated by Dr. Mizna Mohamed, Director of Science and Innovation at the Small Island Geographic Society. The panelists, including Mr. Ajwad Musthafa from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, examined strategies to manage environmental impacts in the tourism industry.

A second panel addressed the growing concerns around marine safety and security. Moderated by Mr. Hassan Saeed, Resort Manager at Dhigali Maldives, this discussion featured a diverse group of experts, including Dr. Abdulla Niyaz, Minister of State for Tourism and Environment, and Mr. Fareed Ismail, Chief Superintendent of Police at the Maldives Police Service. Together, they explored solutions to improve safety standards across the industry.

Additionally, the Forum presented a session on the challenges surrounding the employee withholding tax regime, led by Mr. Tholhath Rasheed, Tax Advisor at SHC Law and Tax LLP.

In his closing remarks, MATI Secretary General Mr. Ahmed Nazeer emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between the private sector and government authorities to address the sector’s challenges. The Forum underscored the need for a unified approach to ensure sustainable and efficient growth within the tourism industry.