n most tourism destinations females constitute a very significant proportion of the work force and many can be found working in a variety of positions hotels and resorts. This paper reports on the unusual situation in the Maldives where only a very small number of Maldivian women are employed in the country's thriving resort-island based tourism industry. The paper explores some of the possible reasons for the lack of female labour participation in what should be an attractive sector for employment for women. These include the physical distances between home and workplace, working conditions in the resorts and cultural and religious aspects. Findings may also be of interest to other jurisdiction where low female labour participation in tourism is of concern.