The Maldives opened its first resort in the 1970s – at a time when the island nation did not even have an airport, just a small airfield on Hulhule’ island.
This marked the birth of an industry that revolutionized the Maldives, and continues to be its top money-maker.
Universal Enterprises’ chairman Mohamed Umar ‘MU’ Manik, whose role in this earned him the title of ‘The Man Who Built Paradise’, died on early Saturday at the age of 78 in a hospital in Singapore.
Tributes have poured in, coming from Maldives’ leaders to ordinary citizens, in recognition of his lasting legacy.
In a post on X, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu wrote that his contributions to introducing tourism and developing it to the award-winning industry it is today deserves praise and commendation.
“He played a huge role in and worked tirelessly to make the Maldives a world-class tourist destination,” he wrote.
إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَރާއްޖޭގެ ފަތުރުވެރިކަމުގެ އެއްބާނީ ނިޝާން މުލީގޭ ޝަރަފުގެ ޢިއްޒަތުގެ ވެރިޔާ މުޙައްމަދު ޢުމަރު މަނިކު އަވަހާރަވި ޚަބަރު އަޅުގަނޑު އެހީ ވަރަށް ފުން ހިތާމައާއެކުގައި. ރާއްޖޭގެ ފަތުރުވެރިކަން މިއަދާ ހަމައަށް ތަރައްޤީވެ ކުރިއަރައި ދިޔުމުގައި… pic.twitter.com/rL4qn3S20V
— Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) August 30, 2025
 Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said that in addition to introducing and developing the country’s tourism industry, MU Manik also provided invaluable contributions to the state and to the social development of the Maldives, especially in health and education.
“In addition to his countless contributions towards the development of the tourism industry, MU Manik was also a public servant who served the state for over 19 years, and also rendered great service towards the social development of the country, especially in the fields of health and education. As such, he contributed to building this nation by provided generous support to numerous individuals by facilitating higher education opportunities,” he wrote on X.
ދިވެހިރާއްޖެއަށް ފަތުރުވެރިކަން ތަޢާރަފްކޮށް އަދި ޒަމާނީ ކުރިއެރުންތައް ގެނެސްދެއްވި އެއް ބާނީ ކަމުގައިވާ ނިޝާން މުލީގޭ ޝަރަފުގެ ޢިއްޒަތުގެވެރި މުޙައްމަދު ޢުމަރު މަނިކު (އެމްޔޫ މަނިކު) އަވަހާރަވި ޚަބަރު އެހީ ނުހަނު ފުން ހިތާމަޔާއެކު. އަދި މިހިތާމާގައި އެމަނިކުފާނުގެ ޢާއިލާ އާއި…
— Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (@ibusolih) August 30, 2025
Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed highlighted the priority MU Manik gave towards religious, social and educational affairs, as well as towards nation building, providing support to constructing and repairing mosques across the country.
Shaheem said that MU Manik had sent a letter to the Islamic Ministry regarding building a mosque in Hulhumale’ before he left to seek medical care in Singapore.
އެމްޔޫ މަނިކު އަވަހާރަވުމަކީ، މުޅިރާއްޖެއަށް ލިބިގެންދިޔަ ހިތާމައެއް. އެމަނިކުފާނަށް މާތް ﷲ ގެ މަތިވެރި ރަހުމަތްލައްވައި ސުވަރުގޭގެ ދާއިމީ ނިއުމަތް މިންވަރުކުރައްވާށި.އާމީން. އާއިލާއަށް އިޚުލާޞްތެރި ތައުޒިޔާ އަރިސްކުރަން. انا لله وانا اليه راجعون. pic.twitter.com/HAYkOJ8HNS
— Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed (@Mohamedshaheem1) August 30, 2025
“The very last dream he had was to build a mosque. In addition to sending a letter, he also sent a representative to convey how much he wished to build the mosque, and to urge us to allocate land for the mosque as soon as possible,” wrote Shaheem in a statement.
“We have also arranged a plot from Hulhumale’ for this. May Almighty Allah build him a palace in Paradise. Amen.”
Former Tourism Minister Dr. Abdulla Mausoom described MU Manik’s passing as a great loss to the nation.
“He played a very significant role in the inception of Maldives tourism and industry's progressive development over the years; and contributed immensely to the nation building. His passing is a great loss to the nation,” he wrote.
Deeply saddened to hear of passing of Mohamed Umar Manik. He played a very significant role in the inception of Maldives tourism and industry's progressive development over the years; and contributed immensely to the nation building. His passing is a great loss to the nation.… pic.twitter.com/20my4Kxn6O
— Abdulla Mausoom (@Mausoom_Maus) August 30, 2025
Ibrahim Mohamed Didi, the chairman of SIMDI Group, described MU Manik as a towering figure in the Maldivian tourism industry whose title of “The Man Who Built Paradise” is well-earned.
“As the co-founder of Kurumba Maldives – the country’s first very first resort – he played a pivotal role in establishing Maldivian tourism in 1972, a historic milestone that earned him the title ‘The Man Who Built Paradise’,” he wrote on Facebook. “My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and all who were touched by his remarkable legacy.”
pic.twitter.com/cIS3ClBPad
— Ibrahim Mohamed Didi (@simdididi) August 30, 2025
Universal Enterprises, a company MU Manik led for decades, wrote in a statement that said that he will forever be remembered as a pioneer whose vision, loyalty and integrity were felt by generations of industry professionals, who will remember him with deep affection and respect.
“He had been an integral part of the inception and growth of the tourism industry in the Maldives. We remember a man whose legacy cannot be confined to a date or any place,” reads the statement.
“To those close to him, MU Maniku was a guiding light. He was a steady hand that led Universal Enterprises through decades of change, and a mentor for many.”
MU Manik, who also served as chairman of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), is recognized for his role in introducing tourism to the Maldives in the 1970s – at a time when the island nation did not even have an airport, just a small airfield on Hulhule’ island.
In 1972, Italian travel agent George Corbin and a junior employee from the Maldivian Embassy in Sri Lanka, Ahmed ‘Kerafa’ Naseem, began developing a plan to open a resort in Maldives. They were soon joined by MU Manik and Hussain ‘Champa’ Afeef. The quartet settled on Vihamanaafushi, due to its proximity with both Hulhule’ and Male’.
(From L-R) Hussain Afeef, Ahmed Naseem, George Corbin, and Mohamed Umar Manik. (Photo/MATI)
The resort, which they named Kurumba Village, hosted its first batch of tourists on February 16, 1972; giving birth to an industry that revolutionized the Maldives, and continues to be its top money-maker.
During his tenure as chairman of Universal Enterprises, MU Manik is credited with playing a key role in bringing Germany’s Condor Airlines to the Maldives in the 1980s, a move that linked the Maldives with larger Europe.
He remained one of the Maldives’ biggest resort operators at the time of his death.
Outside of his work in the tourism industry, MU Manik served the state for over 19 years from 1971 to up until his retirement in 1990, serving in various positions at the Agriculture Ministry. He later served on the board of Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), as the chairperson of Island Aviation Services, and as chairperson of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), the latter of which he served up until January 2024.
MU Manik has received various national awards and accolades for his contributions to the Maldivian tourism industry. This includes the National Award of Recognition in 1982, and the National Award of Honor in 2002. In 2011, he was conferred the Order of the Dignified Rule of Muleege Dynasty. He also received the Minivan 25 Public Service Award and the President’s Tourism Golden Award in 2022.
MU Manik was also known for his philanthropy. In 2004, he played a key role in supplying affected islands with clean water in the aftermath of a devastating tsunami.
He is survived by his wife, two children, and grandchildren.