Govt to lease land from islands for local tourism

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced the government's decision to lease land for local tourism from large inhabited islands.

The President made the announcement while speaking at a ceremony held on Monday to mark the drafting of the Fifth Tourism Master Plan.

Speaking at the ceremony, the President said land will be leased to promote local tourism in three islands from Haa Alif atoll, six islands from southern most Addu city, Laamu Gan and Fuvahmulah City.

The President added that the new tourism master plan would allow for an equitable distribution of tourism projects throughout all of the Maldives’ atolls, so that communities across the entire breadth of the country will have access to its benefits.

"We have been always stating that the communities will flourish with the rising incomes of the country's citizens. Therefore, the administration's tourism policy is centered around directly increasing the earnings of the citizens", said the President.