By The Ministry of Tourism and Environment has unveiled two key regulatory updates aimed at enhancing the credibility of tourism advertising and ensuring transparent use of the Tourism Trust Fund.
In a bid to curb misleading promotions, the Ministry announced new rules governing the advertising of tourist facilities. The regulation defines advertising to include all forms of print, digital, video, and social media content, and mandates that all promotional materials must provide an accurate and truthful representation of the facilities, their surroundings, and services.
According to the Ministry, advertisements must comply with national laws and respect local culture, religion, and community standards. Misleading or exaggerated content will not be tolerated. Additionally, only facilities registered with the Ministry or those holding a valid operating license are permitted to advertise, and the content must reflect the actual category and services under which the license was granted.
The regulation applies to a wide range of service providers including resorts, guesthouses, hotels, vessels, integrated resorts, water sports centres, diving operators, and yacht harbours. The move is expected to reinforce tourist confidence and satisfaction during their stay in the Maldives.
In a related development, the Ministry has also published new regulations outlining the management and use of the recently established Tourism Trust Fund, formed following the dissolution of the former Tourism Industry Trust Fund. The fund was created under amendments to the Public Finance Act ratified by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu in March this year.
The primary objective of the fund is to support the sustainable development of the tourism sector and generate long-term benefits for the Maldivian people. The regulation specifies permissible expenditures, including development activities within the tourism industry, investment in tourism resources, human resource training programmes, and social benefit initiatives.
The capital of the fund will consist of domestic and international sponsorships, CSR contributions by tourism operators, investment returns, and allocated training funds. A special seven-member committee—comprising representatives from the President’s Office, Ministry of Finance, MIRA, and other key government agencies—will oversee the fund’s operations.
To ensure accountability, the Ministry is required to submit annual reports and financial statements to the President, Parliament, Finance Ministry, and Auditor General within three months of the financial year’s end. The Auditor General must then audit and forward the report to Parliament within two months.