Zameer: Visits by international players will boost Maldivian tourism

Visits by international players to improve Maldivian football will boost the country’s tourist industry, says Minister of Tourism, Moosa Zameer.

Speaking from the red carpet at last Saturday’s Maldives Football Award Night – organized by Football Association of Maldives and MaldivesFootball.com – Zameer said visits by renowned international football stars to Maldives was beneficial to the country’s economy.

He said international stars spending their holidays in Maldives provided huge promotion of Maldivian tourism to their fans across the globe.

“They are followed by a lot of fans. The photographs they take while in Maldives and the comments they make about Maldives are of vital importance when it comes to promoting the Maldives,” said Zameer.

He said the government will continue to invite more international stars to Maldives, especially top European players.

“We believe a lot of such stars can be brought here once the Velana International Airport development project is complete,” said Zameer.

Top world footballers are being brought as chief guests for major footballing events and awards. The chief guest of Saturday night’s Maldives Football Award Night was the former captain of Spanish club Barcelona, Carles Puyol. Chelsea’s footballing legend Didier Drogba is also currently in Maldives. He is to be the chief guest of the closing ceremony of the Siyam-Mauroof Soccer Cup this Sunday.