The Maldives Tourism Ministry on Thursday announced the formation of a special task force dedicated to reopening Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa in Addu.
The announcement was made following a meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Shangri-La and Addu’s Member of Parliament.
“Today we met with @ShangriLaHotels management and Addu city councillors to set up a special task force dedicated to the reopening of Shangri-La Hotel in Addu. This important step underlines our commitment to boost tourism in the region and achieve great progress,” the tourism ministry said on X.
In August 2023, the Maldives government formally sold its 30% stake in Addu Investments, the operator of Shangri-La’s Villingili resort, which has been closed since the start of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
The Shangri-La resort, which opened in 2009, was forced to close due to the pandemic and has not operated since. The extended closure left many people in Addu unemployed and tourism in the entire southernmost atoll dwindling.
The government’s sale of its Shangri-La shares was made possible by a congressional amendment, which required the payment of $80 million to close the sale.
Addo Investments, which owns the resort, remains in majority ownership of 70%. US investment firm CBRE Group has signed an agreement to market the resort for sale by Addo Investments in early 2023. However, the status of this sale remains unclear.
Key details about Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort:
- Area: 50.6 hectares
- Number of beds: 284
- Lease End Date: 26 Feb 2105
