Dorm Room accommodation is usually for students. Do it for local students in crowded islands where there is need for student accommodation. I do not think it would be an ideal thing to start Dorm Tourism in Maldives at this point for the foreign tourists. The different needs and priorities between backpackers and local residents can lead to tensions, as can the antisocial behaviour of backpackers. We already have Guest Houses for budget tourists which are less costly than a dorm room in a decent university. It’s better to concentrate and support the SMEs who have borrowed money and invested in guest houses. In my opinion, for many reasons we have more to lose than what we could gain by starting Dorm Room Tourism for foreigners in the Maldives.

Dorms, hostels and capsule hotels, or sleeping pods are very popular and affordable accommodations and space efficient hotels which have been spreading all over the globe. It is ideal for larger cities and transit hubs. But these types of products are not ideal for Male City and Maldives, as we have very limited space in the capital of Maldives along with the growing population. As a destination, Maldives is exclusive but we do have affordable accommodation for everyone, and my opinion is that these are not sustainable business models for Maldives tourism and we should discourage!

Maldives used to be an exclusive destination with limited beds, but with every growing, governance structure and a mass guest house policy to shore the recurrent budget deficit, Dorm Room Accommodation is already happening in the Maldives for gap year students and for low budget surf travellers. From one star to luxury, it is a pity that there are not enough sandbanks, surf points, dive points or picnic islands to cater to this demand. Sports tourism, spear fishing (limited areas), mice tourism, medical tourism and retirement or time share or different ownership models are things that policy level decision-makers need to be looking at along with a strong national airline and transit traffic airport to bring the much-needed tourists to fill these ever-growing beds. need to think beyond dive, surf, spa and beach tourism as we double and triple the bed capacity. Of course, HR and education policy, fish farming and other sorts of food policies need to be addressed so that our biodiversity is protected.

If a client pays a dollar a night, or a client pays a million dollars a night, both are coming for holidays – spending power can be different, but both have the same vision to enjoy Maldives. Destination must be equal to every traveller; it’s like someone driving an old seventies car on the highway, but another guy drives a Rolls-Royce sharing that same highway. I don’t see any difference, maybe I am wrong but racist ideologies must be changed! I myself have experienced some of the local staff still have the same attitude of considering Chinese tourists as a Chaolha, or Wallahi for Middle East tourists and Ruski for Russian tourists and etc. Management should educate all staff that a tourist is a tourist and must be served equally. Salaries and other incentives are paid because of tourists no matter which nationality they are from.