Faisal commits to reopening Addu's Shangri-La resort via legal amendments

Tourism minister Ibrahim Faisal on Wednesday announced plans to bring Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort back into operation, even if it requires amending the existing laws.

Faisal made this commitment in response to a question raised by Hithadhoo South MDP MP Ibrahim Nazil in parliament.

“If the law needs to be changed, the resort will be operated,” Faisal said.

The Shangri-La Villingili Resort has remained closed since 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The resort, which had employed a significant number of Maldivian staff, has now been closed for four years.

According to Faisal, reopening the resort is currently the biggest challenge facing Addu tourism sector.

Faisal mentioned that he had met with the resort’s management within his first month in office to resolve the matter.

“Our government has not brought Shangri-La into operation for 11-10 months for many years. Not only these 10 months. The president pledged to open Shangri-La as soon as possible. The ministry of tourism is doing that,” he said.

The minister highlighted that the government’s focus is on addressing the issue promptly. He added that the ministry will prioritise discussions with the owners of Shangri-La and that a team will be sent to their location soon to expedite the process.

Currently, under the existing Tourism Act, there are no provisions to reclaim land leased for tourism development if the resort is developed but not operational, as long as the rent is paid regularly. However, Faisal indicated that necessary amendments to the law might be introduced to facilitate the reopening.

The government’s 30% stake in Addu Investments Pvt Ltd, the entity that operates Shangri-La's Villingili Resort, was released during the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih. Since then, no official announcement has been made regarding efforts to reopen the resort.

Covering an area of 50.6 hectares, the resort has a capacity of 284 beds.