966 tourist facilities currently operational across Maldives

966 tourist accommodation establishments are currently operational across the Maldives.

Over the past week, four more tourist facilities reopened doors to tourists across the Maldives including three guesthouses and one resort.

The latest weekly statistics publicized by the Ministry of Tourism on Friday revealed that between March 10 – 16, one guesthouse reopened doors to tourists in the Greater Malé Region in Kaafu atoll, one guesthouse in Gaafaru island of Kaafu atoll also resumed services and one guesthouse in Veyvah island of Meemu atoll reopened doors to tourists as well.

This means that the total operational capacity of tourist accommodation establishments across Maldives has risen to 966, including 163 resorts, 643 guesthouses, 12 hotels and 149 liveaboard vessels.

The number of operational beds increased to 54,478 as well, of which 38,928 are in resorts, 1,916 are in hotels, 11,212 are in guesthouses and 2,920 are in safari vessels.

Maldives currently has a capacity of 1,169 tourist facilities which include 152 safari vessels, 849 hotels and guesthouses and 168 resorts. This means that of the total facility-capacity, three safari vessels, five resorts, 195 guesthouses and hotels are yet to resume operations.

The ministry on January 1 facilitated the introduction of Homestay in the Maldives as well, with the first of its kind launched in Dhiggaru island of Meemu atoll. This comes under the president’s tourism development vision and policy to make tourism and its benefits to the island communities, accessible.

Nearly four months since borders were closed, Maldives reopened borders on 15 July 2020 and at first, resorts and liveaboard vessels were given the green light to begin operations. Guesthouses outside of the Greater Malé Region were permitted to resume operations on 15 October 2020. Authorities allowed the reopening of guesthouses in the capital region on 14 December 2020.