Vice President Faisal Naseem has stated that the astute leadership of the current administration and the collaborative support from the private sector paved the road to recovery for Maldive's tourism sector.

He made the remarks at the United Nations General Assembly's high-level thematic debate on tourism on Wednesday.

Speaking on tourism as the main driver for Maldives' economic growth accounting for 45% of the GDP, Vice President Naseem described Maldives as an excellent example of collaboration between the private sector and government.

He noted that the Maldivian economy is on the road to recovery since borders re-opened in 2021, highlighting the Maldives was able to exceed the target for one million tourists by over 30%.

He also noted the various government interventions that added to the economic recovery. As such, he lauded the current administration for the enactment of a minimum wage law which benefit the lives of over 13,000 employees in the tourism sector.

Vice President Naseem also spoke on the government's efforts to diversify and localise tourism in the island communities to include culture and heritage, and enhance community participation especially among women.

He expressed his interest to engage with member states and other stakeholders to ensure tourism plays a vital role in Covid-19 recovery and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.