More guesthouses have resumed services across the Maldives.
The latest weekly statistics publicized by the Ministry of Tourism revealed that a total of 1,184 tourist accommodation facilities are currently operational across Maldives, with a total of 58,479 tourist beds.
The total number of operational beds span across resorts, hotels, guesthouses and live-aboard vessels including 40,053 in resorts, 1,616 in hotels, 13,964 in guesthouses and 2,864 in live-aboard vessels.
Operational facilities include 164 resorts, 853 guesthouses, 13 hotels and 154 live-aboard vessels.
This means that one live-aboard vessel shut down operations within a week.
Two guesthouses in the capital region resumed services over the past week, alongside one in Laamu atoll Gan island.
Maldives currently has a capacity of 1,188 tourist facilities which include 155 safari vessels, 863 hotels and guesthouses and 170 resorts. This means that of the total facility-capacity six resorts are yet to resume operations.
Guesthouses currently in operation are:
- 20 guesthouses in four islands of Haa Alif atoll,
- 14 guesthouses in five islands of Haa Dhaal atoll,
- Six guesthouses in six islands of Shaviyani atoll,
- 15 guesthouses in five islands of Noonu atoll,
- Six guesthouses in six islands of Raa atoll,
- 61 guesthouses in 13 islands of Baa atoll,
- Eight guesthouses in four islands of Lhaviyani atoll,
- 338 guesthouses in 10 islands of Kaafu atoll,
- 153 guesthouses in eight islands of Alif Alif atoll,
- 89 guesthouses in nine islands of Alif Dhaal atoll,
- 51 guesthouses in five islands of Vaavu atoll,
- Six guesthouses in five islands of Meemu atoll,
- Eight guesthouses in two islands of Faafu atoll,
- 10 guesthouses in six islands of Dhaalu atoll,
- Six guesthouses in five islands of Thaa atoll,
- Five guesthouses in one island of Laamu atoll,
- 11 guesthouses in six islands of Gaaf Alif atoll,
- Seven guesthouses in four islands of Gaaf Dhaal atoll,
- 19 guesthouses in Fuvahmulah City,
- 20 guesthouses in six districts of Addu City in Seenu atoll
The Tourism ministry on January 1 facilitated the introduction of Homestay in the Maldives as well, with the first of its kind opened in Dhiggaru island of Meemu atoll. This comes under the President’s tourism development vision and policy to make tourism and its benefits accessible to the island communities as well.
After the Covid 19 pandemic Maldives re-opened borders on 15 July 2020 nearly four months since borders were closed, and at first, resorts and live-aboard 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.