Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal has highlighted the United Kingdom as a prime market for promoting Addu City as a top tourism destination.
Speaking at the Destination Addu Summit, Minister Faisal referred to when the UK established a military base on Gan Island in Addu Atoll during the WWII, which later became an important Royal Air Force (RAF) base known as RAF Gan. He said that Addu City is historically linked to the UK, making it an ideal country to target for tourism promotion. He announced plans to renovate British-era buildings in Addu to enhance its appeal to tourists.
The minister further noted that the participation of Addu City Council in the World Travel Market (WTM) in the UK will bring significant benefits to the city's tourism sector.
Faisal further said special priority is being given to bring Shangri-La Resort in Addu back into operation. He stated that the previous administration, under President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, had signed an agreement to release the government's stake in the resort to facilitate the resumption of its operations.
Speaking at the summit, Addu Mayor Ali Nizar stressed that Addu atoll's unique characteristics and rich human resources that make it an ideal location for tourism development. He encouraged local businessmen to invest in Addu's tourism industry, similar to the development seen in islands like AA. Thoddoo.
