MATI hosts 3rd Member Forum to address key challenges in Maldives tourism sector
The Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) hosted the third edition of the MATI Member Forum at H. Meerumaa, Malé. The event gathered MATI members alongside senior government officials, including the Minister of Tourism and Environment, Thoriq Ibrahim, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, and Commissioner General of Taxation, Hassan Zareer. The Forum served as a platform to discuss key regulatory, environmental, and operational issues affecting the tourism sector.
The Forum commenced with opening remarks and a video presentation that revisited highlights from the first and second editions of the event. Unresolved issues and prevailing challenges were outlined, setting the stage for the main discussions.
The first panel discussion, titled “Addressing Regulatory Challenges Related to Environmental Impacts,” was moderated by Dr. Mizna Mohamed, Director of Science and Innovation at the Small Island Geographic Society. Panelists included Ajwad Musthafa, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Ahmed Jameel, Managing Director of Water Solutions, and Ahmed Nazeer, Secretary General of MATI.
Following this, a second panel discussion took place on “Increasing Concerns Regarding Marine Safety and Security,” moderated by Hassan Saeed, Resort Manager at Dhigali Maldives. The panel featured Dr. Abdulla Niyaz, Minister of State for Tourism and Environment, Thorsten Antons, Regional Manager at Euro Divers Maldives, Mohamed Solah, CEO of Crown and Champa Resorts, Muhusina Abdul Rahman, Director of Protected Areas at the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, and Fareed Ismail, Chief Superintendent of Police at the Maldives Police Service.
Additionally, the Forum included a presentation on “Issues with the Employee Withholding Tax Regime,” delivered by Tholhath Rasheed, Tax Advisor at SHC Law and Tax LLP. This was followed by an interactive Q&A session.
In his closing remarks, MATI Secretary General Ahmed Nazeer emphasised the importance of maintaining continuous engagement between the private sector and relevant authorities. He stressed the need for collaborative and solution-oriented efforts to address the challenges faced by the tourism industry.
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