Maldives Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Maldives - Research Paper Example It not only contributed the most to the country’s GDP but also became the country’s greatest contributor to earning foreign currency (Ministry of Tourism, 2011). Over the years, Maldives has been a tourist attraction based on its tropical setting and favourable climate. Its aesthetic quality gives it the appearance of a paradise on the earth. Away from the hustle and bustle of daily lives, it attracts tourists from all over the world to enjoy tranquillity in its clear water and tropical climate. The several islands and blissful beaches of Maldives are ideal for relaxation. Maldives offers extraordinary underwater scenery and taking advantage of its clear waters, the islands have introduced water-sporting activities such as scuba diving, water skiing and kite boarding (Masters 2006). Recently, Maldives has been acknowledged as one of the best destinations of the world to experience recreational diving (Garrod et al 2008). Alongside these positive aspects of tourism in Ma ldives, it must be noted that this flourishing sector is also resulting in some adverse effects on the wildlife of the islands and their natural surroundings. The increasing numbers of tourists that visit Maldives throughout the years are known to be a cause of disruption of the natural environment of Maldives’ wildlife. Due to this large influx of tourists visiting the islands, Maldives is experiencing a slow yet massive decline in its wildlife (Shelton 2010). Ormond, a leading scientist at SaveOurSeas Foundation, claimed that even though tourism may provide the financial support to preserve the water species, it may negatively affect the feeding patterns of the animals, which may migrate or decline in population; therefore, degrading the wildlife experienced by the tourists. In 2009, Maldives was awarded the title of Marine Protected Area (MPA) and laws and regulations were enacted for control and prevention of harm to the islands’ flora, fauna and wildlife. Despite these laws and regulations, the wildlife is declining, mainly because of the lack of effective reinforcement of these laws. Stevens, a researcher working to save the lives of the manta rays, claims that without ensuring quick control on numbers of tourists and other regulations regarding the influx of people, the islands will experience a great negative impact due to its largest contributor towards economy. Therefore, proper management must be enacted for the betterment of wildlife and the tourist experience (Shelton 2010). Moreover, in the last three decades of flourishing tourism, Maldives has experienced a rise in the number of resorts available to tourists on the islands. However, interestingly, the locals do not reside in the same areas where the resorts are located. Therefore, the tourists are quite segregated from the local population of the islands. This limits the positive and negative impacts on both the tourists and the locals. The tourists may be unable to understand the culture or even the frustration the locals feel at the negative impacts of tourism while the locals may be unable to grasp foreign cultures and therefore, exposure to the international world is limited. II) Historical Origins   Initially, the economy of Maldives was almost entirely based on fisheries, yet towards the end of the 20th century, Maldives became introduced to the world as a tourist spot. Since