Government Announces Plans To Develop Three New Resorts In The North

The Ministry of Tourism disclosed that will be opening bidding opportunities for the development of three new resorts in the Northernmost province of Maldives. The resort development is undertaken as part of the Ministry’s efforts to increase the bed capacity to 8000 in the North, paving way for seamless operations at Hanimaadhoo International Airport. It also forms part of the phase 4 of bidding for tourism development projects.

Once the Hanimaadhoo International Airport is fully completed it will be able to cater to the largest carriers in the world including Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s, making the airport a gateway to the North of Maldives. The contemporary terminal will also be able to house 1.3 million passengers yearly, therefore, providing great potential for tourism in the region. As such, more resorts are planned to be developed in the area over the coming years.

The airport also puts resort development in a favourable light, as the major barrier to the expansion of tourism is eliminated. This is the lack of direct scheduled flights to the Northern atolls as well as the rising cost of transportation to facilitate travel. However, with the development of Hanimaadhoo International Airport, it will increase connectivity significantly, linking guests flawlessly to resorts in Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu and Shaviyani atolls.