Addu City Council has passed a resolution to create an ‘Addu Guest House Venture’ which will develop and expand the guest house tourism industry within the city, under the guidance of a a ‘Guest House Promotion Board’.
The resolution – passed on Tuesday (April 15) – states that it is important to have the opportunity to develop guest houses and city hotels on the large joined islands of the city, and that it will benefit the tourism industry in general.
Noting that it will create more jobs and new opportunities for start-ups, the resolution stated that it will also increase the number of tourist arrival for the country.
In the past few years the guest house businesses boomed on many islands – growing from just 22 registered businesses in 2009, to 171 currently listed – particularly in close proximity to the capital, Malé.
The list of guest houses available via the Tourism Ministry shows just one registered business in Seenu atoll – home to Addu City, the country’s second largest urban area.
Recent annual figures (2012) show Malé’s Kaafu atoll was home to 39.9 percent of the tourism industry’s bed capacity, while Seenu – the country’s southernmost – had just 3.6 percent.
Addu City Council this week declared that, in order to develop the industry, the Addu Guest House Venture has to be created jointly as a business transaction by the council, members of the public, businesses, and banks.
A five-member guest house promotion board is also to be created under this resolution to represent the council and to communicate on its behalf.
The council is expected to announce applications for the board membership very soon, which according to the council will comprise of technical and experienced persons.
Guest house development on inhabited islands was a key election pledge of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, to which all members of the Addu City Council belong.
The party also campaigned in all recent elections with the pledge to strengthen decentralisation, pushing to increase the role of councils in development.
Political supporters of guest houses have pointed out that mid-market tourism creates opportunities for small businesses while economically empowering local communities.
The current government, led by the Progressive Party of Maldives has announced alternative plans for developing mid-market tourism, with the prospect of guest house islands replacing the idea of guest houses on inhabited islands.
Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb has said that various businesses will invest in providing different services on these islands.
“For example, common restaurants can be managed by one party, water sports by another party, twenty rooms by one company, another twenty rooms by another company and so on. In that way, we are creating numerous businesses there,” Adeeb told Minivan News earlier this year.
Adeeb explained that the government was reluctant to market mid-level tourism as it risked damaging the country’s image as a high-end destination.
(0)Dislikes
(0)Related Posts
Tourism key for community development, says government on World Tourism Day- MATATO backs guest house island policy
- Government launches guest house island project
- Maldives wins Seven Star Global Luxury Awards
- Authorities hail Maldives World Tourism Awards ceremony as industry “milestone”
- Tourism Ministry to use commercials and street performances to attract Chinese tourists
I wonder where the 'dheenee' maggots are now.
The best thing for Adduan are secede from Malu Dhivehin. Adduan are a different race from the rest of fishing chains. Why can’t the council pass a resolution to withdraw all political allegiance with the Malu capital? Addu has potential to rise and develop once they are economically and politically free from the rest of fishing chain. Addu can have their own airport, hotels, port and directly engage with the world would definitely boost every aspects of their life. There is no reason why Adduan should have any allegiance with the Malu government. It is much better to secede from them. And I don’t see any reason why Adduan going to this small one square mile concrete tiny congested Male capital. What prestige do they have in that shit hole. Addu should rise now as a nation who can do much better without these moronic backward gullible crazy Malu people. Adduan were traders, freethinkers, and bad people, and good people; the world needs bad people with guts who can do anything, and few good people with brains to run their affairs.
The best development that can happen to Mordis is to lick the butts of Arabian camels and donate all our hard earned money to their tourism.
Nowhere on earth are a small bunch of people like Adduans. Of course the different islands do not like each other. Hithadhoo people consider Meedhoo people to be inferior
But collectively both think they are more 'advanced' and western because British once stayed in addu, even though they were treated as laboures
In reality Addu has never been a fishing atoll in Maldives due to lack of reefs and bait. So they did not mix with others Maldivians much. They were always very poor and insular and lived on vegetables and yams.
There is also a widespread myth that Addu people are more educated
@Boa bondu: Because they're afraid of the steroid-addicted soldiers who lick the Male'centric eliteist's boots for a living may come and kill them all. What they need is modern anti-ship weapons. Independence can never be won with words; only through bloodshed and war.
Addu can get independence by peaceful means in contemporary world. All adduan should immediately withdraw from Male’ the s**t hole of Fishing chain and start lobbying through UN and EU and human rights organization to be free politically and economically which is the fundamental right of all human being. The rest of fishing chain has no rights to rule on any human being whom they can’t provide protection, and economic means for them to survive. The Adduan should not go voting to elect anyone for the rest of fishing chain. If the rest of fishing chain has any brain, they will definitely let Adduan live peacefully and will let go free to exercise their fundamental rights to live in their homeland and utilize their Homeland to live peacefully and happily. You have just try and overcome the fear of facing challenges. Why do you think the rest of fishing chain would want to force on Adduan to be part of them when there is nothing in Addu what they can harvest for their benefit? Today in free world Adduans are just a burden for them. May be in the past they wanted to enslave people just for the sake of showing their power and cruality which are not possible in today’s world.
@ andrew. Best you can do is lick GMR ass.
@Boa bondu
It won't last. Now, get some nuclear weapon systems, and aim it straight at Mal'e and state your terms, I'm sure the government will bow to your every demand. That is true victory.
@Hero
How goes the foot-licking of Changi airports, Hero? I bet you like it.