Founder’s Note | Lakshadweep, Maldives and High Value Tourism

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

While on the surface the Maldives and Lakshadweep may appear to be similar, with stunning turquoise waters, white sandy beaches and amazing marine life, there are a few key differences between the two which make it impossible for the same tourism business models to apply.

While the Maldives has almost 1200 islands, the Lakshadweep Islands have only 36. With a much smaller number of islands, development opportunities are minimal, and the ecological costs of tourism are much more acutely felt.

The islands also lack infrastructure with just one flight a day connecting them to the mainland, compared to the Maldives which has millions of passengers each year. These and other key differences mean that any attempt to copy the Maldives model of tourism is doomed to fail at the outset.

However, it’s not all bad news. With incredible natural beauty, and an inbuilt sense of exclusivity and castaway vibes, the islands at perfectly poised to pitch themselves as the less commercial and more exclusive alternative to the Maldives.

The ecological benefits of this approach are also incredible. With fewer tourists, at a higher value, the government can conserve the fragile ecosystem and can even use the income to create marine parks, and large “no catch” zones.

The Brando

With just a few hotels, modelled along the lines of the world’s most exclusive private islands such as The Brando, Laucala Island and North Island, the government can create thousands of jobs and protect this incredible paradise for future generations.

Or they can build up every inch of available space with run-of-the-mill hotels and cram them with tourists only looking for a cheap alternative to the Maldives, till it’s no longer a paradise.

As I conclude, I leave it to you to ponder: should this untouched island undergo transformation to rival the Maldives, or shall this paradise be preserved for our future generations?

Discuss in the comments.