Introduction of Homestay Tourism in Maldives
The homestay tourism scheme was introduced in the Maldives by the Ministry of Tourism as a part of the national plan to expand the tourism industry of the country by launching various forms of tourism in the Maldives. The homestay tourism guidelines were published in the gazette on December 30th, 2021, as the 4th Amendment to the Tourist Guesthouse Regulation (2021 / R-176).
Homestay is a popular form of tourism which allows tourists to share a home with the locals at their travel destination. The main objective of introducing homestay tourism in the Maldives is to enhance the local tourism and provide valuable opportunities to the local islands of the Maldives.
With the amendment to the regulation, tourist guesthouses can be registered as homestays in which tourists are allowed to stay in the registered units within the resident house.