The story
Maldives Tourism Day Festival in Male
Maldives Tourism Day falls on 2 October each year, marking the anniversary of the country's tourism industry, which began in February 1972 under President Ibrahim Nasir with the opening of the first resorts, Kurumba Island Resort and Bandos Island Resort. While the underlying anniversary is well documented, a distinct, separately branded public festival tied specifically to the date in Male could not be confirmed.
Maldives Tourism Day, observed on 2 October, marks the anniversary of a decision that reshaped the country's entire economy: President Ibrahim Nasir's push in the early 1970s to open the Maldives to international tourism as a way of diversifying beyond the country's traditional reliance on fishing.