Tourism is a key sector for the Maldivian economy, and handicrafts have a ready market. Currently, the country's 'one island, one resort' model limits interaction between the resorts and the rest of the economy. This has led to very little interaction between tourists and local culture.
IFC will support the handicraft industry, providing workers with a chance to earn appropriate and justified income for their work. This activity is part of a wider linkage program to be carried out in the country's tourism sector. IFC is also looking into building agricultural linkages between resorts and nearby communities.
The council's 'Blending Handicrafts and Tourism' initiative will help craft workers develop viable business opportunities and build linkages between holiday resorts and local communities and businesses. It will also broaden awareness about Maldivian culture and crafts.
With as many as 90 per cent of handicrafts sold in Maldives imported from other cheaper sources, the program aims to promote the authenticity of local crafts with the help of linkages between tourism and handicraft industries.
International Finance Corporation
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