Minister Zameer Affirms Importance of Partnerships in Sustaining Maldives’ Tourism Growth

Minister of Finance and Planning Moosa Zameer has affirmed that strong partnerships are vital to maintaining the Maldives’ global reputation as a premier luxury travel destination. He made the remarks while speaking as Chief Guest at the relaunch of the Experience Maldives campaign, held on September 27 in collaboration with Bank of Maldives (BML) and American Express.

Addressing the event, Minister Zameer highlighted that tourism remains the backbone of the Maldivian economy, supporting livelihoods, driving private investment, and financing public services. While the country’s natural beauty and hospitality are world-renowned, he cautioned that sustaining this success depends on quality, consistency, and collaboration across the sector.

“Experience Maldives helps us achieve this by targeting premium travellers with compelling offers, while supporting operators across resorts, guesthouses, liveaboards, and local merchants,” he said. The Minister added that the new two-year programme is designed to boost demand during off-peak periods, extend visitor stays, and encourage higher spending in areas such as wellness, dining, excursions, and retail.

He also drew attention to the long-standing partnership between BML and American Express, noting that for over 20 years, BML has served as the exclusive issuer and acquirer of American Express in the Maldives. This, he said, is more than a commercial agreement—it forms part of the country’s financial infrastructure, ensuring reliable and secure transactions that benefit both merchants and travellers.

Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to strengthening tourism, Minister Zameer pledged continued cooperation with Visit Maldives Corporation, the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), industry associations, and private businesses. He stressed the need for high service standards, smooth connectivity, and a strong environmental focus to maintain the Maldives’ premium positioning.

“Partnerships are the engine of progress. The alignment we see tonight—between a national bank, a global payments leader, government agencies, industry associations, and businesses—is how we deliver sustainable growth,” Zameer said.

The Minister urged more industry players to join the Experience Maldives campaign, stressing that wider participation would enhance the nation’s appeal in international markets. He thanked BML and American Express for their continued role in supporting tourism and invited merchants across the Maldives to make use of the opportunities created by the campaign.

Launched initially in 2017, Experience Maldives is now in its fourth edition. The revamped programme will run for two years, offering American Express Card Members exclusive privileges across a wide network of tourism and lifestyle businesses in the Maldives.