Guesthouse operations expand across Maldives, 855 currently operational

With the operationalization of 855 guesthouses, guesthouse operations continue to expand across the island nation.

The latest daily statistics publicized by the Ministry of Tourism revealed that a total of 1,190 tourist accommodation facilities are currently operational across Maldives, with a total of 58,657 tourist beds.

Operational facilities include 164 resorts, 855 guesthouses, 13 hotels, three homestay facilities and 155 live-aboard vessels.

The total number of operational beds span across resorts, hotels, guesthouses and live-aboard vessels including 40,147 in resorts, 1,616 in hotels, 14,006 in guesthouses and 2,872 in live-aboard vessels.

Maldives currently has a capacity of 1,196 tourist facilities which include 155 safari vessels, 855 guesthouses, 13 hotels and 170 resorts. This means that of the total facility-capacity six resorts are yet to resume operations.

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.