Maldives has been appointed as the chair of the UN Tourism Commission for South Asia from 2025 to 2027.

The Maldives participated in the 37th Joint Meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for East Asia and the Pacific, the UN Tourism Commission for South Asia, as well as the 60th meeting of the Tourism Commission for South Asia held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 15-16 April.

Maldives co-chaired the 37th joint meeting and chaired the 60th meeting of the Commission for South Asia.

Speaking at these meetings, the Minister of State for Tourism Dr Abdulla Niyaz highlighted the ongoing efforts to enhance the Maldives tourism industry. He emphasised President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's focus on expanding and developing the sector while adapting to the rapid global changes.

He also explained the efforts to expand tourism to local islands to provide the benefits of this industry to locals. He stated that this will also open opportunities for tourists to experience the Maldivian culture and heritage on a deeper level. He further outlined the efforts to protect the environment in the tourism sector.

Maldives welcomed 2 million tourists in 2024, with 2.3 million tourists expected by the end of 2025.