Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed, on Monday, stated that from 2020 onwards, newly opened resorts would prioritise residents of neighbouring islands when hiring staff.
Speaking at the 'Viavathi Raajje' Councillor Conference currently ongoing at Crossroads, Minister Waheed revealed that the government and employers will collaboratively train locals of nearby inhabited islands, eliminating the need for these individuals to travel to the capital city of Male' for training.
The minister added that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has increased the budget allocated for this purpose as well.
He expressed intentions of creating closer relationships between resorts and neighbouring islands.
He also asserted the necessity of taking the environment into consideration during the promotion of local tourism, noting that a considerable amount of tourists show interest in experiencing the local lifestyle.
Minister Waheed added that the list of islands being leased for tourism development will be announced shortly. The new resorts are expected to create 8,000 job openings across 12 atolls.
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