With the operationalization of 860 guesthouses, guesthouse business continue to expand across the island nation.
The latest weekly statistics publicized by the Ministry of Tourism revealed that a total of 1,196 tourist accommodation facilities are currently operational across Maldives, with a total of 59,335 tourist beds.
Operational facilities include 166 resorts, 860 guesthouses, 13 hotels and 157 live-aboard vessels.
The total number of operational beds span across resorts, hotels, guesthouses and live-aboard vessels including 40,751 in resorts, 1,616 in hotels, 14,068 in guesthouses and 2,900 in live-aboard vessels.
Maldives currently has a capacity of 1,200 tourist facilities which include 157 safari vessels, 873 guesthouses and hotels and 170 resorts. This means that of the total facility-capacity four resorts are yet to resume operations.
Guesthouses currently in operation are:
- 21 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,
- 62 guesthouses in 13 islands of Baa atoll,
- Eight guesthouses in four islands of Lhaviyani atoll,
- 341 guesthouses in 10 islands of Kaafu atoll,
- 153 guesthouses in eight islands of Alif Alif atoll,
- 91 guesthouses in nine islands of Alif Dhaal atoll,
- 51 guesthouses in five islands of Vaavu atoll,
- Six guesthouses in five islands of Meemu atoll,
- Seven 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,
- Eight 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 ministry introduced Homestay in the Maldives in January, since then a few more homestay facilities have been opened. 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.
