Tourism will be affected with news of unrest continuously spread in the media: Adheeb

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Adheeb has said that the tourism of industry will affected with the news of unrest in the Maldives continuously spread in the media.

In an interview to the Miadhu News, Adheeb said that the apart from the news of unrest, the false allegations spread in the media in relation to religious issues will also be drawback on the tourism industry.

Adheeb said that no person who truly and sincerely loves the Maldivian nation will ever spread lies regarding these issues when there has not been any complains by the tourists regarding the freedom to practice other religions and when there have been no incidents of harassment from religious extremists or similar.

“We ourselves are unable to research every news that pops up in the media about Maldives. So how can the foreigner who is looking up to visit Maldives make a research of these news and distinguish the truth from falsehood? So to spread false news about the situation of Maldives will affect the Tourism, there is no doubt,” he said.

Adheeb said that biggest problem faced by the country today is the challenges to the Maldivian economy. He said that the people understand that it is through the tourism industry that this economic problem could be resolved.

“The respect given to the foreign tourists is a proof for this. The welcome given to the tourists. Therefore, the government is trying to clarify the truth to the international community regarding the false news spread by some people,” he said.

Adheeb said that the worshippers at the Friday Mosque and the Masjid Mohamed Thakurufaanu alAuzam face the tourists sightseeing these two mosques with smiles on their faces. He said that this shows that the Maldivian people welcome the foreign tourists.