Govt backs Hajj Corporation’s entry into guesthouse sector

The government has no objection to the state-owned Hajj Corporation entering the guesthouse business, Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed said on Tuesday.

The statement came in response to a question by Galolhu North MP Mohamed Ibrahim, who asked whether the government would take any action regarding the Hajj Corporation’s plan to enter the tourist hotel sector, which is primarily a private industry.

Minister Saeed said the Hajj Corporation, being a 100 percent government-owned entity, operates as a separate legal body under its constitution. Referring to the company’s Articles of Association, he stated that the Hajj Corporation has the authority to engage in business transactions in line with its objectives.

Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has also expressed support for the initiative, stating that the Hajj Corporation should generate income through halal tourism. He noted that while the corporation is managed under the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, the ministry does not intervene in its internal decisions.

Shaheem said it is important that funds collected for Hajj services are invested in a manner permitted under Islamic Sharia and that these investments help improve the quality of Hajj services.

“The investments made by the Hajj Corporation should be beyond any doubt because Hajj is a noble act of worship. The funds used to provide this service should be clean and permissible,” he said.

Shaheem added that the Hajj Corporation could partner with Islamic institutions in the Maldives or abroad to develop halal tourism projects, including potentially investing in a separate island.

The Hajj Corporation has announced plans to build a city hotel in K. Maafushi as part of its entry into the halal tourism market.