The Tourism Ministry will be granting a period of three years for 75 resorts under construction to complete the work and open the resort.
Speaking at the Parliament on Monday, Tourism Minister Dr. Abdulla Mausoom said it is a challenge for the Tourism Ministry and the government. He noted that islands leased from near inhabited islands remain incomplete and said that the government is working to address and resolve the issue.
'The current practice in the Maldives, in the end, blames the government when resorts remain incomplete. We will hopefully change this. While speaking in the Parliament before, we have said we will be making agreements to open incomplete resorts. We will act according to this and make agreements,' the minister said.
Speaking on the most recent amendment to the Tourism Act, Minister Mausoom said there is no purpose in waiting three years for incomplete resorts to reach completion. He said if all material needed to construct and develop the resort is not sent to the sites within a year, the resort will not be completed.
'The fastest duration a resort can be completed is within 1.5 years. After signing the agreements, if the site is not mobilized within 1.5 years, it is unlikely the resort will be completed. These resorts will not reach completion within three years. The Tourism Ministry will have the power to take back the islands,' the minister said.
The Tourism Ministry previously said that over 100 properties leased for tourism development remain incomplete. This includes around 25 lagoons.
