JOB CREATION
MINIMUM WAGES FOR MAXIMUM LUXURY
MALDIVES
On the surface, a glamorous resort may look perfect, but the luxury lavished on guests can sharply contrast with the workers’ economic reality. When you travel, choose hotels that commit to fair wages for their workers and support programs that work to prevent the exploitation of tourism staff. For workers in the Maldives, every job must meet modern minimum wage standards.
What's
changing
In tourist hotspots, especially in developing regions, labor conditions are often poor with many workers earning below living wages due to the perception of tourism jobs as seasonal and low skilled. Increasing global awareness and advocacy for fair wages are driving positive changes to these practices.
What's already
possible
In the Maldives, the government enforces a minimum wage for citizens working across all industries and sectors. This includes the tourism industry that employs a significant proportion of local workers.
Seizing
the opportunity
The new minimum wage will almost double the salaries of over 60% of resort employees. The wage is set at 8,000 Maldivian rufiyaa (519 U.S. dollars) per month.
Standout
tactic
There is a push to implement the scheme for foreign staff working in the tourism industry as well. This is a crucial component of the initiative so that employers do not skip employing citizens and exploit foreign workers who they can pay less.
How
it helps
The introduction of this minimum wage benefits 50% of employees across the country. That is more than 54,000 employees, including 13,000 employees working in tourism.
Diving
deeper
Is a minimum wage enough to provide tourism employees with a living wage, especially considering the massive wealth gap between resort guests in the Maldives and the staff who make their luxurious stays possible?
Increasing
impact
A study that establishes the living wage threshold for the Maldives could help to inform adjustments to the minimum wage to ensure it is meeting the needs of hospitality employees.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
