Muizzu has vision, plan to revitalise Gan airport, says Zameer

President-elect Dr Mohamed Muizzu has a plan to revive the Gan International Airport in the southernmost Addu atoll, former tourism Minister Moosa Zameer said Sunday. 

Zameer, who is expected to become the foreign minister in the incoming government, said the president-elect has a vision to promote tourism in Addu and the wider southern region.

"Even at the beginning of the 1980s, Maldives tourism has made big strides because there are enough beds in the Male region. So, aircraft can feasibly land here [at Velana International Airport] with passengers," he said.

Although there is a major airport in Gan, there are not enough beds in the region to make the operations of the airport feasible, Zameer said.

“No matter how big an airport is, no matter how much jet fuel is made available there, no matter how cheap the landing charges are, aircraft will not come because there are no passengers to carry,” he said.

The president-elect's pledge to Addu is to develop more beds in the region, Zameer said.

Noting that there are already resorts in Addu, Zameer said that developing another 200 or 300 beds by dredging land in the region is not enough to increase the number of tourists coming to Gan.

“But, if [Muizzu] can bring in 6,000 beds as he says now, it will benefit,” he said.

The world's largest seaplane hub is located at Velana International Airport, Zameer noted, adding that seaplane services could be expanded in Addu as well. With that, passengers flying to Addu will also be able to fly to the resorts in the adjacent Huvadhoo atoll, he said.

"We need someone who knows how to do it. I think the president we have elected this time knows how to work," Zameer said.

Politicians always talk about the lack of tourism in Addu, but Muizzu will try to resolve it, he said.

During his presidential campaign, Muizzu pledged to expand tourism in Addu under the name of 'Asseyri Tourism' and create 10,000 jobs with 6,000 beds.