Tourism Pioneer Shares Interest in Supporting Gov’t’s 10-Resort Profit-Sharing Venture

Tourism pioneer, Hussain “Champa” Afeef has expressed his keen interest to support the government’s flagship project to develop at least 10 state-owned resorts designed to distribute direct financial returns to every Maldivian citizen.

Speaking at a ceremony marking National Tourism Day, Afeef commended the state initiative and expressed high confidence in its ultimate success, describing the scheme as a potential catalyst for another major transformation in the country’s tourism sector, 54 years after the industry’s inception.

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“Building 10 resorts and sharing the profits among Maldivians as announced by the government is a development that will bring a major shift to the sector,” Afeef stated, underlining the industry’s potential for further structural evolution.

The scheme, originally outlined by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu during his inaugural presidential address to the People’s Majlis, involves a state-owned enterprise developing 10 resort islands within a 36-month timeline. Under the proposed framework, upcoming legislation will establish direct citizen shareholding in the properties. The government projects dividend payouts to begin in 2030, targeting a minimum annual average of $400 in foreign currency per Maldivian national—amounting to at least $2,000 annually for a family of five.

To provide the legal foundation for the initiative, Parliament passed the 16th Amendment to the Tourism Act, which allows state-owned enterprises with at least 45 per cent government ownership to lease land for resort development.

Reflecting on the wider trajectory of the sector, Afeef highlighted that the Maldives’ hospitality success relies on public-private collaboration, arguing that future expansion must maintain this co-operative framework. He urged stakeholders to draw on past operational experiences to guide upcoming initiatives.

He concluded by commending the resort workforce, paying tribute to staff across all operational levels who work away from their families to sustain the nation’s primary economic driver.