By The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) has successfully concluded the Maldives Travel Conference 2025, Women’s Edition, in Addu City. The event, hosted at Equator Village, spotlighted the pivotal role of women in the Maldives’ tourism sector and was followed by a free Financial Literacy training session organized by the Business Center Corporation (BCC).
The conference was held under the endorsement of key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Social and Family Development, Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC)/Visit Maldives, Addu City Council, and the National Hotels and Guesthouses Association of Maldives (NHGAM). Numerous women’s organizations, such as the Addu Women’s Association, Veshisaafu, Women on Board, and others, supported the event.
Focus on Women Empowerment and Breaking Barriers
Centered on empowering women in Addu, the conference emphasized creating opportunities beyond resort employment and tackling societal stigma toward working women. The all-female panel included:
- Ms. Noora Jaleel, Council Executive and Acting Secretary General of Addu City Council
- Ms. Almas Hassan, Admin Manager at Velaa Private Island
- Ms. Aminath Shifana, Project Manager and Civil Engineer
- Ms. Fathimath Hafsa, Principal at Nooraanee School
The Chief Guest, Dr. Aminath Adhala Rasheed, Councilor at Addu City Council, praised the initiative, stating, “The conference provides a much-needed platform to discuss the challenges and opportunities for women in the tourism industry in Addu.”
Support and Sponsorships
MATATO partnered with several organizations to bring this event to life. The Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB), a second-time sponsor, served as the event’s main sponsor. Resort Life Travel and Gakaba joined as associate sponsors, with Maldivian as the Airline Partner.
MATATO’s CEO, who moderated the panel discussion, remarked, “We hope today’s dialogue serves as a catalyst for Addu women to explore diverse opportunities in tourism and address the challenges faced by working women.”
Future Editions
This Addu event marks a continuation of MATATO’s Women’s Edition initiative, which was first launched in August 2024. The initiative focuses on empowering women in tourism through education, dialogue, and actionable outcomes. Following the conference, a detailed post-event report will be published. Future editions are scheduled for Thoddoo in May 2025 and Male’ in August 2025, in partnership with Hotel Jen Male’.