Here’s an unpopular opinion: Maldivian women are still largely left out of the tourism industry.
Let’s start with a simple fact – From nearly 60,000 employees in resort sector only 35% are Maldivians. Breaking down by gender, 11% of the Maldivian working in the industry are female. In 2018 before covid the % of women working in the industry was about 10%. Fast forward to today, we are luckily seeing more young women stepping into the industry, but the gender gap hasn’t moved. For a country that thrives on tourism, that number aren’t just low, they are pretty shocking.
The reason is not just one issue, its layers and layers of social expectation, cultural norms, practical realities that makes it challenging for women to stay and grow in the industry. The more women we see entering the industry, the more we also see quietly stepping away. And that says a lot.
When I first joined the industry years ago, opportunities were limited – not just for Maldivian women but for Maldivians in general. Climbing the ladder to leadership was more accessible to an expat than to a Maldivian. And for us women there was an added layer – how do we convince our family that working in a resort is safe?
Now things have come a long way. We are seeing more and more Maldivians leading as General Managers and department heads. Its amazing to see the shift but the sad truth is the number of Maldivian women in these roles are far too small.
Here is something that many Maldivian women in the industry feel and realise after a while, but maybe doesn’t say it out loud: Women normally enter the industry with an “expiry date”
Like our male colleagues, we start out with big dreams! But we know, deep down, that the clock is ticking. I’ve met so many incredible, brilliant Maldivian women who once dreamt of becoming General Managers, Resort Managers, leading departments, or heading up exciting new projects but today, many of them have taken a completely different path. Not because they have lost their passion when they became mothers – the truth is, the system just isn’t built for us. Only a small number of resorts offer the kind of flexibility or working conditions that allow mothers to grow in their roles.
I’ve been lucky — my role in Sales & Marketing allows for some flexibility. I can work remotely when needed. But even for me, there are very few resorts that offer that kind of flexibility.
For women in operations, it’s nearly impossible after motherhood. The hardest part? Even when a skilled, experienced woman asks for something as simple as being placed closer to her home island or other flexibility, just so she can manage both work and family — it’s often seen as a weakness (regardless of how much experience and wealth of knowledge she brings to the table). As if needing flexibility somehow makes her less committed. Meanwhile, a male for that role with or without a family, is still seen as the safer choice. Let’s just say even today, men are mostly seen as the default choice — and women as a liability after becoming a mother. And its unfortunately not only limited to the tourism industry.
So women join, they perform, they dream — and then they leave. The system is not built to carry them through different life stages. Until that changes, we’ll continue to see high drop-out rates, especially among those in mid-career who are juggling both work and home.
And another factor that doesn’t help us move beyond the perspective or somewhat creates the doubt of safety is how women who’ve made it to positions of influence, tell their stories. When stories in general from influential people are all about pain with no balance, it discourages the very people they should be inspiring. And at times, it honestly feels like it’s done for personal gain or for PR.
Yes, absolutely — please talk about the challenges, the loneliness, the bias, and the abuse if it happened. Speak up and speak loudly. But also remember, these aren’t issues unique to tourism — they exist in every industry. What we need are strong voices calling for safer, more supportive workplaces everywhere, for both women and men.
But we also need to share the good parts: the support we received, the growth, people who helped us, the mentors we had, the moments that made it worthwhile – basically why we are still here and why we love what we do. Because without that balance, we paint ourselves only as victims or survivors — not as the hope or example of what’s possible for young women (and their parents)
Those of us — the few Maldivian women in leadership roles — carry a responsibility. It’s not just about sharing what we’ve been through, but also about offering hope, reassurance, and inspiration to the next generation. Because they deserve to believe in the magic we believed in when we started.
And then there were the empty talks. I had sat across influential government authorities from various administrations talking about these very issues (I don’t think I can sit through another one of that anymore). There were talk about outreach programs to islands, awareness campaigns, parental education – let just say promises doesn’t close the gap, actions do. Maybe, some efforts are taking place. But in terms of real impact, real commitment to closing the gender gap in tourism — I don’t think enough is being done.
So, what’s the solution? Honestly — I don’t have one. But we need to start asking better questions. Why aren’t more women staying in the industry? Why is flexibility still viewed as a weakness? Why aren’t our systems built to support women at every stage of life? Why is motherhood seen as a liability?
The truth is, this industry wasn’t designed to be inclusive — and no slogan or CSR campaign can fix that unless we rethink how we create real opportunities and build systems that allow women to stay, grow, and lead — not just when they’re 22 and single, but when they’re 32 with a child and just as driven. Let’s stop using “women empowerment” or “developing women in the industry” as a branding tool and for the sake of having a slogan.
Until we start treating it as a real issue, we’ll keep losing talented women — the same women who’ve helped build the very industry our country relies on.
Credits: Rifaath Saeed
Director of Sales and Marketing
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