The Maldives Tourism Ministry has announced it is seeking the appointment of a celebrity ambassador for the Indian Ocean archipelago, local media reported on Monday.

Deputy Tourism Minister and head of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), Mohamed Maleeh Jamal, told media that the government was in the process of selecting the most suitable celebrity on offer.

"We are currently holding discussions, the most suitable celebrities for Maldives and the prices they offer, we are discussing such things now," Maleeh told Sun Online.

Former Secretary General of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry Mohamed Ibrahim told Minivan News that the proposal was a good idea, as "it will generate sound bites, column inches and other publicity," but he suggested the government seek a "goodwill ambassador" rather than a paid celebrity.

Following a visit in December to the "One and Only" resort by football star David Beckham, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb said the Maldives was prized by celebrities because of the seclusion and privacy of the country's "one island, one resort" model.