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HISTORY OF KURUMBA

Tourism is the largest industry in the Maldives, accounting for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. This indusrys start was made in 1972, with the grand opening of KURUMBA ISLAND RESORT. At that time Maldives was only inhabited with fisher folks as the largest industry for that time, unknown to the world outside,without any foreign investment.

Mohamed Umar Maniku, Universal Enterprises’ Chairman, recalls: “We had nothing in the Maldives then, nothing. No Banks, no airport, no telephones only ham radio or Morse code contact with Colombo. Even the UNDP experts said that tourism would never succeed because there were no facilities, no infrastructure."

This was an industry that could have easily missed its chance to grow,but yet the taste of tourism is now a sweet taste to the bitter tongues of people which once was bitter. Tourism began in Maldives with a chance meeting in Colombo between George Corbin, an Italian travel agent, and Ahmed Naseem, then a junior with the Maldives Embassy who later became Foreign Minister. At the time, Corbin was seeking pristine islands where he could bring Italians to swim and hunt fish. For Corbin, the idyllic Maldives archipelago was love at first sight. Upon his first visit to Malé, with Naseem by cargo ship in 1971, he immediately vowed to return with more guests.

Corbin brought the Maldives’ first tourists, mainly journalists and photographers, in February 1972. They stayed in humble lodging in three houses in Malé, looked after by M U Maniku and his friends, including Hussain Afeef, who is currently the successful owner/operator of several resorts. Perfect for swimming, sunbathing, fishing, the Maldives enchanted them. Corbin promised to bring more tourists if Maniku, Naseem and Afeef could find them somewhere to stay. So then the kurumb island resort came to life and is a succesful resort all around Maldives and whole world. ~