A carefully managed and an innovative product with emphasis on quality
Maldives tourism development strategy is to develop a limited number of quality resorts, each on its own uninhabited island, free from traffic, crime and crass commercialism. The lack of local resources makes it necessary to import virtually everything a visitor needs, from furniture to fresh vegetables, so the Maldives cannot really compete on price. Thus large-scale, and low budget, mass tourism is not viable in Maldives. Major attractions are the underwater environment and 'the Robinson Crusoe factor'

One island, one resort concept
Resorts in the Maldives are unique in several ways, the most notable being that each resort is self-contained. A single resort occupies the entire island. While the rooms are individual or semidetached bungalows built around the island facing the beach, or built over water in the shallow lagoon that surround the island, the restaurants and bars, games rooms, gym, spas and pool may be built in a centralised area or scattered around the island to give each an individual and unique feel. What is interesting is that in all of these resort islands, the only inhabitants other than the guests are the resort staff!

Each resort is located has its own power plants, cold rooms, desalination or water plants, sewage and waste disposal systems, staff quarters, transport services and diving facilities etc. Each resort is designed differently and every island is unique despite the typical tropical environment of the Maldives.

Fast growing product
From a very humble beginning in the 1970s the tourism in the Maldives has evolved and matured into an industry, which is a key player of the domestic economy. Tourism in the Maldives began in 1972 with 2 tourist resorts namely Kurumba Village and Bandos Island Resort. Now we have over 90 resorts, some of which are managed by the most exclusive brands such as One and Only (2 properties) , Fourseasons (2 properties), Banyan Tree (3 properties), Hilton (2 properties), W Hotels, Shangrilla etc..

Commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly tourism
Highly regulated tourist industry of Maldives has been enormously successful - there are more and better resorts, a steady increase in visitor numbers, and a minimal impact on the natural and social environment. The Maldives is internationally recognised as a model for sustainable, environment-friendly tourist development.

Rich Marine Product
The Maldives is one of the best diving destinations in the world and offers diving opportunities for beginners as well as for more experienced divers. With its clear deep blue water, ranging through shades of turquoise and aquamarine, sparkling white beaches encircling vivid green vegetation it?s an experience that is simply unique.

Popularity and sense of hospitality
The spectacular beauty of these coral islands made the Maldives one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. People had visited these islands for hundreds of years to trade with the inhabitants and by chance when their ships ran off course or were shipwrecked in the shallow reefs of the Maldives. The sheer natural beauty of the country and the warm hospitality of her dwellers captivated almost all of them.