Maagiri Hotel, a new tourist hotel in Maldives capital Male, is all set to open soon.
Construction of the 53-room hotel, being built opposite of Hulhumale ferry terminal on Boduthakurufaanu Magu, is complete, with developers now working on the finishing touches of the building.
The hotel is being developed by Regent Maldives, a consortium of renowned local businessmen.
The hotel has historic ties to the introduction of tourism to the Maldives, as it is situated on the land plot that housed Maagiri, the residence of former First Lady Naseema Mohamed. The house provided lodging for the first group of tourists that arrived in the Maldives in 1972.
Maagiri Hotel will join the few upscale tourist hotels in the capital city, including Hotel Jen, Champa Centra Hotel and the historic Nasandhura Palace Hotel, which is currently being reconstructed.
After years of double-digit growth in tourism, the Maldives has over the recent years observed a slowdown in growth. Tourist arrivals have crossed the one million milestone and is on course to reach 1.5 million by the end of this year, but the country has been struggling to create demand amidst a significant increase in bed capacity.
Photo: Avas Online