“The Pandemic Had More Socio-economic Impact on the Maldives than the 2004 Tsunami”

Wednesday 1st of July 2020

“The Pandemic Had More Socio-economic Impact on the Maldives than the 2004 Tsunami”

On 30th June, Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed chaired the Commission for East Asia & the Pacific (CAP) and Commission for South Asia (CSA) 32nd Joint Meeting, held in attendance with UNWTO Secretary General and regional member states. The virtual meeting was co-chaired by Malaysia’s Deputy Secretary General at the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, Mohd Zamri Mat Zain.

The meeting, planned to be held in Sri Lanka this year, was held virtually due to travel restrictions. Minister Waheed expressed his sincere appreciation and admiration to H.E Secretary General and UNWTO Team, on conveying this important meeting and being one of the first organizations in responding and taking pre-emptive measures to assist all member states to address this global pandemic.

Highlighting that the tourism industry has been the most significant source of revenue generation for Maldives, which accounts for one third of the total government revenue, Minister said that the Global pandemic Covid19 have had a more of socio-economic impact on the Maldives than the 2004 Asian Tsunami and the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.

Minister Ali Waheed: The Maldives believes the key to successful post pandemic tourism is a balance between confidence and convenience. The united response, universal standards and international cooperation from the international society, public and private organizations has positively impacted our ways of thinking and facilitated in adapting to the “new normal”. It is time we use this crisis as an opportunity to strengthen international coordination and create a platform for unity and harmony. That is what we offer when we reopen this July.