Muli airport as gateway for tourism investment, minister says
The Minister called on residents of Meemu Atoll to support the government’s investment by promoting tourism ventures in the region.
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Construction and Infrastructure Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib said on Tuesday that M. Muli Airport will serve as a gateway for tourism investment in Meemu Atoll.
Speaking at the official inauguration of the airport, the Minister said the project had been a longstanding aspiration of the atoll’s residents. He noted that the development of airports across the country aims to improve connectivity and support economic activity.
“As a country that relies on tourism, airports are infrastructure that support economic benefits,” Muththalib said.
He stated that the Muli Airport project, which began with land reclamation and groundwork in 2021, has so far cost the state MVR 540 million. According to the Minister, this amounts to more than MVR 100,000 per capita relative to the atoll’s population.
The Minister called on residents of Meemu Atoll to support the government’s investment by promoting tourism ventures in the region, particularly guesthouse tourism.
He further encouraged population consolidation within the atoll by suggesting that residents of smaller islands move to larger population centres in the atoll. He added that Meemu Atoll has resources and potential to support further development and tourism-related activities.
Dr Muththalib also highlighted that when the current government assumed office, a major variation in the airport development plan had not yet been approved, and progress on the project had stalled. The airport was completed and opened after 18 months of work by Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC).
