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Maldives marks 2016 as year with most no. of new resorts

Fathmath Shaahunaz
23 January 2017, MVT 12:10
An interior view of one of the bedrooms in Finolhu Resort. PHOTO/FINOLHU RESORT
Fathmath Shaahunaz
23 January 2017, MVT 12:10

The Maldives opened the most number of new resorts in 2016, according to the official statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism on Monday.

The statistics show that the government authorised total 124 places to house tourists with 11 resorts, 11 safari cruises, 101 guesthouses and a hotel last year.

The ministry’s statement declared that 2016 marked the most number of new tourist resorts unveiled in the Maldives’ history.

Some of the prominent names of the newly unveiled resorts include St Regis Maldives Vommuli in Dhaal atoll, Soneva Jani in Noonu atoll and Four Seasons Voavah Private Island in Baa atoll.

The total number of tourist facilities in the archipelago now amount to 667 with 37,218 beds.

The rapidly advancing guesthouse industry of the Maldives also saw great progress in the past year with 101 new guesthouses unveiled. Currently, guesthouses are being operated in total 72 islands across 19 atolls, according to statistics.

President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has vowed to open 50 new resorts over the five years’ of his government. While 2016 saw a string of new resorts opened in accordance with his electoral pledge, the government had earlier announced that 20 more are slotted to be unveiled this year.

Meanwhile, the number of tourists to the Maldives by the end of last year had reached 1.3 million, which is an increase of 4.1 percent from 2015. However, it falls short of the 1.4 million projected by the government.

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