China based Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) has been contracted to build a new VIP complex at the Maldives main Velana International Airport.
A top official from state owned airport operator Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) told local daily Mihaaru that construction of the four-storey waterfront complex will begin next month and will be completed next year. It will be developed in two phases, with the first phase being the construction of the new building, he added.
“In the next phase, we will demolish the existing VIP lounge and extend the complex,” the official said.
According to MACL, the new complex will have dedicated VIP and CIP lounges along with check-in facilities and F&B outlets. Individual rooms will also be offered on request, it said.
BUCG, one of the largest construction companies in China, has already been contracted to build a new runway and seaplane terminal at the airport.
The new VIP complex is part of a USD 800 million mega project to expand and upgrade the Maldives’ main gateway. The project involves building a brand new runway, an international passenger terminal and a seaplane terminal as well as other support facilities, including a fuel farm that can store 45 million litres and a 120,000 tonne cargo facility.
The airport is a key infrastructure that supports the Maldives multi-billion dollar tourism industry. Expansion of the airport is expected to boost tourist arrivals to the island nation as it aims to attract at least two million tourists by 2020.