From Island Thinking to Atoll Thinking: Charting a Creative Future for the Maldives

By: Pek Chuan Gan, Deputy Resident Representative UNDP Maldives | Arndt Husar, Principal Operations Specialist, South Asia Department (SARD), Asian Development

Picture the creative economy in the Maldives - an ecosystem of creators, designers, artists, digital entrepreneurs, curators - full of innovative ideas, creative concepts, and business acumen that leads to a rekindling of heritage, cultural revival and income opportunities for young and old.

In July, we engaged with creators, entrepreneurs, community voices and ecosystem enablers to explore what it would take to boost growth and development of the creative economy. A shared vision emerged - one of an interconnected ecosystem where creativity fuels economic growth, sparks innovation, and connects communities with new markets and income opportunities.

In the Maldives, this vision takes on a uniquely local dimension - shifting from insular (or disconnected) thinking to what one participant memorably called "atoll thinking." The word atoll is itself a Maldivian gift to the English language, from the Dhivehi atholhu /އަތޮޅު, a natural formation of islands, reefs, and lagoons bound together in a living, interconnected system. It is both a geographic reality and a metaphor for connection: ideas, talent, and opportunity flowing across the country like currents between islands.

This vision came to life during the Creative Economy and Tourism Workshop Series, organised by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade with technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the British Council. The workshops created an exploration space to help us ideate how tourism, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development could be reimagined through creativity and entrepreneurship. As several local creatives reminded us, the challenge is not a lack of ambition, but rather "a lack of pathways" to realizing these ambitions. With the right structures in place, the creative community seems ready to collaborate, create and build.

Creativity Through the Lens of Tourism

When we frame the opportunities that a vibrant creative economy can provide through the lens of the tourism sector, we return to the heart of what the Maldives holds most dear: natural beauty, living heritage, and its enduring cultural identity. Such a perspective opens the door to a wide range of possibilities - conservation-led journeys that protect our reefs, cultural trails that weave stories across atolls, and inclusive visitor experiences that welcome everyone. Each is anchored in what makes our islands unique, shaping a future where tourism not only sustains livelihoods but safeguards the very treasures that define us.

Conversations often turned to the changing face of the traveller - not someone simply booking a holiday, but someone seeking a story to be part of. These travellers may stay longer, immerse themselves more deeply, and look for experiences that are authentic, ethical, and personally meaningful. For the Maldives, this shift signals the need to rethink how we connect people to place, culture, and community in ways that leave lasting, positive footprints.

From Ideas to Archetypes

Ideas emerged from what a more creative, connected tourism and entrepreneurship landscape could look like and who the future traveller and consumer of creative goods and services might be. Ideas for future-ready creative economy offerings included ways to link local talent to visitor needs, sharing Maldivian authentic handicrafts with the world, and offering personalised journeys through innovative digital media, bringing to life the history, cultural heritage, natural beauty, dreams and ambitions of Maldivians. While these idea sketches remained at the concept stage, they point to the kinds of opportunities that could diversify livelihoods, nurture skills, and extend the benefits of tourism well beyond resort shorelines.

Why Atoll Thinking Matters

Atoll Thinking means moving beyond isolated wins, towards creating networks that connect talent, resources, and opportunities across the country. It means linking creative entrepreneurs with tourism supply chains, strengthening digital payment systems, expanding access to finance, and creating hubs where creators can collaborate, experiment, and showcase their work.

As one participant noted, "Our traditional dhoni becomes more than just a boat - it's a living metaphor for vision-driven collaboration, carrying people and ideas forward together."

The creative economy is not just a growth sector - it empowers women and youth, preserves cultural heritage, spreads opportunities to the atolls, and supports sustainable tourism models. In a nation where the natural beauty of our islands is our brand, creativity becomes our true differentiator - the force that can drive diversification, resilience, and stronger community livelihoods.

Now, the challenge is to turn the many sparks of ideas into an ecosystem approach, ideation into incubation, and incubation into enablement, all geared towards creating tangible impact for Maldivian creatives and creators. Guided by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trades' Maldives 2024-2028 Creative Economy Strategic Action Plan, and through collaboration between government, private sector, development partners, and communities, we can make the shift from island thinking to atoll thinking - building an interconnected creative economy that is lived, shared, and sustained, and where the future of the Maldives is shaped as much by its ideas as by its islands.

This article is first published at UNDP Maldives website on From Island Thinking to Atoll Thinking: Charting a Creative Future for the Maldives

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