Dr Muaviyath Mohamed, Minister of State for Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, officially launched the Tourism Statistics Survey 2024 on December 18, 2024.

The event, organised by the Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS) in partnership with the Ministry, brought together Government officials, policy experts, as well as stakeholders.

In his address, Dr Muaviyath accentuated the role of the survey in providing evidence based data to shape sustainable tourism policies and support the Maldives’ climate objectives. Drawing attention to the importance of tourism to the national economy, he stressed the necessity of reliable data for effective decision making.

The updated survey introduces measures to gather essential energy data, addressing transparency requirements under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. These enhancements aim to improve climate reporting and strengthen the Maldives’ commitments to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Facilitated by the CBIT Maldives Project, the updates were made possible through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on November 6, 2024 by the Ministry, the Utility Regulatory Authority (URA), and MBS. The MoU aims to enhance the accuracy of energy statistics and emissions reporting through improved data collection practices.

A prime component of the survey is its focus on annual energy consumption data from the resort sector, addressing critical gaps identified in the Maldives’ First Biennial Transparency Report (BTR1). This initiative targets improved transparency in energy use and emissions within the tourism industry.

The CBIT Maldives Project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the Ministry with technical support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), played a pivotal role in these updates.