He shares his vision for elevating tourism through creative strategies and sustainable practices that align with the bigger picture – to achieve 5 million tourists in 4.5 years.
Hotel Insider: You have an impressive portfolio spanning project management, sports administration, and marketing. How has this unique blend of experiences prepared you for your current role?
Ibrahim Shiuree: I started as a secretary at Iskandar School straight after my O’levels. It was a unique experience, and sometimes I even had to step in as a teacher due to a shortage of staff. Although I was very young and inexperienced, it was an interesting start to my career.
Following that, I worked at the Ministry of Youth and Sports in different departments which required me to travel to islands to conduct monitoring. Later, after completing my degree, I took on media-related work. I also served as a board member at the Maldives Hajj Corporation when it was still in its early stages. My involvement in sports has always been significant, which makes teamwork come naturally to me. I’ve participated in all aspects, from being a player, coach, and executive committee member to later taking on management roles.
Throughout my career, I’ve had to manage various challenges, including those related to the Hajj Corporation’s queue system implementation and multiple private sector projects. As a project director, I actively led turnkey projects, including harbor and airport construction. My hands-on approach ranged from operating an excavator to diving with the panel team.
I believe the staff is the most important asset of any organization, and teamwork is crucial. You can ask others about my work ethic; I value people for who they are and treasure their individuality. Observing a lack of teamwork initially, I created sub-departments to initiate a more collaborative environment where everyone can belong. By introducing the Visit Maldives Club, I aimed to nurture teamwork, and it has been rewarding to see employees, from line workers to managerial staff, come together and enjoy their work more each day.
Hotel Insider: As CEO & MD of MMPRC, how do you plan to collaborate with local communities and stakeholders to ensure sustainable tourism practices align with cultural preservation efforts in the Maldives?
Ibrahim Shiuree: First and foremost, I am new to this—specifically, new to working on a corporate scale in tourism. Initially, I accepted that I needed to learn a lot and that there would be friction between different parties, grievances, and criticism. I accepted these challenges as part of the process.
When I joined, I told my team that we should be strong enough to face these criticisms. We need to reach out to stakeholders and listen to them. I proposed conducting a survey to understand what we are doing right, what we are doing wrong, and gather suggestions and grievances. We reached out to all stakeholders and councils, and I told my team that for 4-5 weeks, we wouldn’t be taking any action; instead, we would listen. We met with all the NGOs, MATI, MATATO, Boating Association, liveaboards, Destination Future, airlines, and ambassadors.
We are on a mission to reach a target of 5 million visitors within 4.5 years. It’s a very ambitious goal compared to the 1-2 million target we have achieved so far. The experts have given us valuable data, and I believe it’s a doable thing. We should work hard to achieve our targets, especially since the government has raised the bar. Although it’s an ambitious target, I believe we can reach it. This goal will create more motivation and drive us to think outside the box.
Recently, I met with the mayor to discuss five different projects. In countries like Dubai, you can see impressive monuments and selfie-worthy places. Here, we have the same attractions as ten years ago. We need something creative—monuments or places that embody the essence of the Maldives, where tourists will come to visit and photograph. We have planned a competition in collaboration with the city council. Additionally, we are looking to establish experience centers where guests can have immersive experiences in Maldivian cultural work.
We have five teams working on these separate initiatives. One team will focus on the monuments, and another will work on getting Maldives into the record books. When I was studying in Malaysia, we broke the record of fitting 21 people inside a mini cooper, previously held by another university with 19 people. I was the first to get in and the last to get out. There are simple records like that, and I want to spread this concept to the youth, councils, and resorts where tourists can also engage by introducing Maldives Record Book.
In addition, we will have an annual publication and partner with PSM for record-breaking events. We are also exploring creative new ventures like culinary events and wellness awareness, which is a new segment for guesthouses. Glamping is another initiative we will push. For the past 50 years, the sun, sand, and sea have been our main attractions. However, other countries are coming up with innovative new ideas to frequently promote their destinations and we need to do the same.
We will achieve more growth if we can develop more creative strategies. For example, when we first introduced the underwater restaurant, it immediately became the talk of the town. We need to continue coming up with newsworthy attractions and plan for the future. We should implement new ideas every two years or so to keep the buzz alive. Sunnyside talks is another essential concept we are working on. We need a creative team inside as well and we will establish an in-house studio to drive these initiatives.
Hotel Insider: How has your experience in sports influenced your approach to leadership and strategic planning in your current position towards sports tourism?
Ibrahim Shiuree: I am very proud to say that we have achieved something unprecedented in the past five years, particularly in terms of medals. When I played, the focus was primarily on participation and earning points. However, this has changed significantly. In 2019, when the Maldives TT team won its first gold medal, I was fortunate enough to be the coach. Following that, we won three gold medals at the IOIG and then five more. Our progress has exceeded expectations, and now our player is competing in the Olympic Games. I am proud to be part of this history. We no longer only talk about participation; we talk about medals, podium finishes, and more. In the last IOIG, table tennis led the medal tally board, ranking number one. Achieving this was not easy, but it was a very proud moment to see the Maldives at the top.
With my sports background, I can easily envision the Maldives excelling in sports tourism. Events like the Tour de France and Formula 1 attract people from all over the world, filling beds and restaurants, and benefiting many sectors indirectly. We will introduce sports tourism that aligns well with the Maldives, such as a Spartan Run, an Aquathlon in Huvadhoo Atoll or other atolls where participants can run or walk in the water, jet ski competitions, fishing races, and more. There are many possibilities, but we need support from the government. For example, easing the waiver on taxes for equipment is essential; otherwise, it won’t be feasible. Policy changes are necessary to achieve these targets.
We plan to bring together larger stakeholders on one platform by holding a symposium at the end of August or in September. This symposium will be structured to address the many obstacles we face in decision-making and policy-making.
Hotel Insider: With your involvement in initiatives like the MEERY Project, how do you align youth development efforts with MMPRC’s goals?
Ibrahim Shiuree: The MEERY Project, a World Bank initiative, focuses on youth development with sustainability as a key driver. This project has provided valuable insights into effective sustainability practices, which are essential for MMPRC’s goals. By understanding these practices, we can better integrate sustainability into our tourism strategies. For example, while resorts are already implementing sustainability practices, we need to extend these efforts to guesthouses and liveaboards. Incorporating feedback from initiatives like MEERY will help us promote sustainable practices across all sectors, aligning our broader objectives with effective youth development and ecological responsibility.
Hotel Insider: Sustainable tourism is a global priority for destinations. What strategic plans will be implemented at MMPRC to further advance sustainable tourism in the Maldives?
Ibrahim Shiuree: We collaborate with NGOs such as the Whale Shark Research Program, Olive Ridley, and the Manta Trust. These ongoing partnerships help promote sustainable tourism. In the future, we plan to work with other NGOs like Save the Beach and Parley. Our goal is to collaborate with all NGOs that support sustainable tourism to maximize our impact.
In addition, we recognize the recent growth in guesthouses and the importance of inclusivity. For instance, the surge in demand for accessible facilities at Crossroads after Marlou Van Rhijn’s visit there following the invitation to the Maldives Sports Award highlights the importance of ensuring that all tourist facilities are inclusive by design. By integrating these practices and working closely with our NGO partners, we aim to advance our sustainability goals and ensure that they address a broad spectrum of environmental and social concerns.
Hotel Insider: With your background in marketing and public relations, how do you plan to enhance MMPRC’s strategic marketing initiatives to promote the Maldives as a leading tourist destination?
Ibrahim Shiuree: As I mentioned, the primary USP has traditionally been sun, sand, and sea. However, we must actively implement new strategies and promote diverse types of tourism. These include educational tourism, sports tourism, medical tourism, wellness tourism, gastronomic tourism, and a promising new area: film tourism. While we have hosted some film shoots in the past, they were mostly one-off events. We have the natural beauty to support film tourism on a larger scale.
We plan to collaborate with universities during the off-season to conduct summer camps and attract students during their summer holidays. We could also set up research and marine labs, where students can participate in projects for three months in collaboration with the fishing ministry. By believing in these possibilities, we can effectively transform our strategies.
Our stronghold remains our nature (sun, sand, sea), but we can integrate other aspects to diversify and increase visitor numbers. This includes tapping into untapped markets and exploring new initiatives. There are many innovative projects we hope to implement with our team, and I am excited about the future possibilities.
Hotel Insider: Reflecting on your career, what leadership lesson has had a significant impact on you and how do you apply it to your current role in MMPRC?
Ibrahim Shiuree: When I travel abroad with sports teams or during sports selections, I strive to make the process as fair as possible. Fairness and transparency are values I deeply cherish and have consistently implemented in my past positions and continue to do so now.
I am a people person who appreciates what each individual can bring to the table. I aim to treat everyone with fairness and equality, engaging and empowering them to perform their best. Teamwork is essential, and gaining the trust of the people you work with is crucial for success.
Hotel Insider: Thank you Shiuree, it has been insightful.