President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has praised the hard work and determination of the pioneers of tourism in the Maldives for revolutionizing the industry.

President Solih made the remark while speaking at the Golden Jubilee Award Ceremony organized by the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) to mark the 50th anniversary of tourism in the Maldives, on Sunday.

Speaking at the ceremony, the President stated that Maldives holds ground at the forefront of international tourism markets today due to the hard work and determination of the industry pioneers.

President Solih recognized the success of the tourism industry’s founders, who had to overcome numerous challenges in shaping the industry to what it is today, and acknowledged those who are currently involved in realizing these goals. He emphasized the government’s willingness to contribute to the progress of tourism by listening to the industry’s stakeholders.

Additionally, the President highlighted the numerous challenges encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic and revealed that MATI was one of the very first groups he met with, after the news of the pandemic broke.

Stating that closing the borders of the country was one of the most difficult decisions by far, the President noted that the decision was pivotal to reviving the country's economy, even though many had opposed the government's decision to close it and the reopen it again in July, 2020.

Furthermore, President Solih spoke about the administration’s efforts to diversify its economy, including amending necessary laws to facilitate economic revival. He assured that the administration would work towards making arrangements that would facilitate the growth of the sector.

The President stressed on the challenges faced in the development of tourism, and noted that the government was actively working towards increasing the capacity of Velana International Airport (VIA) to keep pace with the industry’s growth. He said the completion of the VIA passenger terminal, which is currently under construction, would increase the terminal's capacity to 7.2 million passengers per year, adding that the development of more airports in the atolls would help broaden tourism reach.

At the ceremony, President Solih distributed awards to industry pioneers and people who have contributed to the development of the sector. He also thanked the industry pioneers who are still involved in the development of the tourism sector in the Maldives.

First Lady Fazna Ahmed attended the ceremony along with the President.

The Golden Jubilee Award Ceremony, organised by the MATI, was held at the Kurumba Maldives Resort, which was the first resort to open in the Maldives.