The government has opened investment opportunities for the development and operation of tourist resorts in Hankede, Addu City, and Nalandhoo, Shaviyani Atoll, signalling a push to expand tourism across both ends of the Maldives.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Hankede will be developed as an integrated tourist resort with a minimum capacity of 1,000 beds. The project will proceed under the Regulations on the Submission of Proposals for the Leasing of Islands, Land and Lagoons for Tourism Purposes. Interested investors have been invited to contact the Ministry via email for further information.
Hankede, located in the southernmost city of Addu, was previously designated for halal tourism under the former administration. However, the current government removed it from that list earlier this year. President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced plans to transform the island into a new tourism venue within this term, following his decision to repeal Hankede’s earlier designation as a tourism real estate development project zone. The island was subsequently placed under the Ministry of Tourism and Environment for its dedicated development as a resort destination.
Meanwhile, Nalandhoo in Shaviyani Atoll, one of the northernmost islands in the country, has also been opened for resort development. The Ministry has called for bids to be submitted by 10:00 am on 12 November, with tender documents available from the Ministry’s reception until 10 November. Interested parties may also access the documents through the Ministry’s website.
An information session for the Nalandhoo project will be conducted virtually via Zoom, and participants are required to register via email before 12:00 noon on 22 October. This marks the second round of bidding for Nalandhoo, which was previously leased for aquaculture before being repositioned for tourism use.
These new opportunities align with the government’s broader strategy to boost investment and diversify tourism development across different regions of the Maldives.
