The head of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development called on President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Wednesday morning, with the commercial agenda pointed squarely at the Maldives’ tourism industry.
Sheikh Yousef Hassan Khalawi, the ICCD’s secretary-general, met the President at the President’s Office. Talks focused on build up the Islamic economy: capacity building, investment, and joint work in hospitality and halal business. Halal tourism, and how to expand it, featured in the discussion.
Resorts here have long sold sun and seclusion to European and Chinese travelers, and in a country where tourism drives the economy and dollar earnings, a halal-oriented segment would target a different wallet: visitors from Gulf, Southeast Asia and the wider Muslim world, a market operators across the region have been courting for years.
No agreements were announced. Neither side put figures, timelines or specific projects on the record: the meeting was a courtesy call, and the readout stayed at the level of intent.
The ICCD secretary-general presented the President with a calligraphy copy of the Holy Quran.