Abstract
In the Maldives, a small, resource-poor LDC with an economy principally based on fishing, international tourism has been fostered since the early 1970s as a means of economic development. It is now the major earner of foreign exchange for the Maldives and its third largest contributor to GDP. Most tourists are from Europe but Japan is now an important source. Tourism management matters discussed include the isolation of tourists from local inhabitants, excess capacity in tourist accommodation, variability and seasonality of tourist demand, pollution from tourism, and geographical and environmental limits on the expansion of the industry. The consequences of international tourism for local development are critically examined.