The Ministry of Tourism and Environment has announced new regulations aimed at ensuring truthful and culturally appropriate advertising of tourist facilities in the Maldives.

The newly issued regulation addresses growing concerns that some tourism advertisements misrepresent facilities, services, or surroundings, potentially damaging tourists’ trust in the destination. In response, the Ministry has outlined strict guidelines to ensure promotional content accurately reflects the reality of the offerings in the Maldives tourism sector.

The regulation applies to all forms of advertising, including print, digital, video, online, and social media content. It mandates that all promotional materials must present factual and accurate information about tourist facilities, their environment, and the services provided. Additionally, the content must align with Maldivian laws, religious values, and cultural standards.

Advertisements must also be respectful toward other countries, cultures, and individuals and must not contain any misleading claims. Only facilities and services that are officially registered with the Ministry of Tourism or licensed to operate may be advertised. Moreover, advertisements must clearly reflect the service category under which the licence was granted.

The Ministry has specified that the regulation will apply to the following tourism service providers:

The Ministry stated that the purpose of the regulation is to enhance transparency and ensure visitor satisfaction by aligning tourist expectations with the actual experience offered in the Maldives.