The president of Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) on Sunday warned that global interest in Maldives tourism was gradually waning, urging the country to address the issue.
Speaking during ceremony to unveil the first Maldives based international magazine named the "ISLES" Giyaz noted his various meetings across several Middle-Eastern countries have highlighted fading interest in Maldivian tourism.
"This is a serious issue, the interest in Maldivian tourism by visitors and several countries are slowly diminishing. We need to accept this truth and work together in order to take our tourism into the front-lines" Giyaz said.
He emphasized on the importance of promoting and taking tourism into international platforms more extensively than before, stating the technological advancements and breakthroughs in Maldives also serves to elevate the cause even more.
Furthermore Giyaz pointed out the importance of countering the delicate situation where local tourism is at, and work towards progression. He praised the initiative of Avas Online and the New York Times, to take local news and promote Maldivian culture, tradition and tourism on an international platform, he stated "Isles" would be the perfect channel to represent Maldives and take tourism globally to a wider audience.
