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President Mohamed Nasheed's press conference   

The interviews of www.tuttomaldive.it
President Mohamed Nasheed's press conference
translated by Alssio of www.tuttomaldive.it

February, 19th 2009
BIT - Italian Travel and Tourism fair
Press Conference: Tourism promotion trough democracy



Today a press conference have been held about situation in Maldives during which spoke new-elected president Mohamed Nasheed.
Tourism, art and Culture Minister, Ahmed Ali Sawad and city council member for tourism, Claudio Mancini were present too, moderated by the journalist Corrado Ruggeri.
President Nasheed prepared a speech but he declared that he would rather speak off the cuff and so she began to narrate a lot of interesting things.
At the end of the press conference President Nasheed allow and grant the honour to us of Tuttomaldive of a private interview and we can tell you about future project of the new president, that is very concrete and determined to take Democracy into Maldives. The new president is so spontaneous and approachable that he was nicknamed as the “Indian Ocean’s Obama”
We congratulate him on his election and told him we are very happy about Democracy in Maldives.
President thanks us confirming the love for Italian people that contribute so much to Maldivian tourism and hopes that we could come back to the first position in the ranking of visits to Maldives.

We explained him what TuttoMaldive site is and told him that since a lot of year we suggest to Italian tourists about the resort that can better match their wishes. After that we asked him what’s the direction that future investement will take, because we make him notice that in last years a lot of resorts was rebuilded not according to Italian liking.
President Nasheed confirmed that they can understrand Italians, he declared to know that extra-luxurious resort with tons of overwater bungalow don’t match Italians likings and it’s for this reason that they will prefer, in new projects, medium level resorts (3/4 stars) that permit to everyone to visit “his Paradise” and not only to elitist tourism.

We told him that the number of Island that we could suggest to Italians decrease every year and we asked him if island’s project that have works in a initial phase couldn’t be modified
President told us that bitterly smiled and confirmed that they can’t modified previous agreements and so works must be ended following the initial project.
We told him that, unfortunately, projects twisted a lot of Italian’s favourite islands and that’s the reason why we can observe a decrease in number of visit from our country other than raising prices
President nod to us and gave us the list of islands interested in twisting projects: Boduhithi, Halaveli, Moofushi and, when we add Athuruga e Thudufushi, he could only shrug one’s shoulders and declare that government can’t intervene.

He gave us his government list of things to do, telling us that we must tell Italians that they are determined in changing this situation:
- besides new ¾ stars resort hostel for student will be built;
- tax breaks will be studied to permit to resorts to decrease prices and they will improve contacts with tour operator that invest in Maldives islands
- A new residential tourism will come to life, not only in desert islands, but even on big inhabited by Maldivians islands. That way it will be possible to find some plot of land suitable for build some tourist house that will permit to inhabitants not to move far away to reach their jobplace.
Speaking about natour we told him that a lot of tourists don’t respect the undersea world and asked him what they can do about it.
He confirmed to us that underwater life protection is a priority but we don’t know so many things about coral reef or about sea boost, and, to deepen this knowledge, they are intentioned to maintain the cooperation with Bicocca University.
We talked about this project some time ago and we have been very happy to find our article inside the official press folder of the conference distributed to journalists.
Nasheed declarate that tourism is at the first place in Maldives income and adfirmed that if Italians keep going to Maldives we will help him to consolidate the young democracy and will help people in decreasing poverty that is present in a lot of islands. They are intentioned in enhancing transports and comuniications between atolls to increase commerce and grant health care to people.
Attended the press conference also Ahmed Ali Sawad, tourism, art and culture minister, that repeat projects exposed by the president adding that they are considering to help people that investin Safari boats
We are pleased to underline the iniziative accounted by Claudio Mancini, Tourism alderman of Lazio, that illustrate agreements between Maldives and Italy in a previous meeting:
• In 3 months we will organize a mission to Maldives to evaluate the possibility of Italian investment in transports, education, drinking water and electricity production that now Maldives must buy, spending 700 milions dollars/year.
• An advertisement campaign will be start to promot Maldives, with an initiative that will help talassemic children that could be heal in Italy
A loto f projects and a lot of work but also the enthusiasm by the Maldivian government about speeding up burocracy to facilitate foreign investment
President Nasheed opened this press conference telling us: “ I come from Paradise” and we want to end with the phrase that he underlined many times: “ Help us to consolidate our young democracy: Visit Maldives!”


By Claudia&Dario

The interviews of www.tuttomaldive.it
President Mohamed Nasheed's press conference
translated by Alssio of www.tuttomaldive.it