100 bed hotel to be built in Utheemu

Haa Alifu Utheemu Island Council has prepared to lease a land to build a tourist hotel on the island with the occupancy of 100 beds.

President of the Utheemu Island Council, Asraar Adam said that the council has decided to lease a land of 25,463 square meter land from the west side of the island for 50 years to build and run the hotel.

He said that the bid booklets would begin sale on Thursday, 18 August, for MVR 2000 for locals and MVR 3,500 for foreigners, and would be available from the Utheemu Island Council until 18 September.

The bid would be opened on 18 October and the deadline is the same day.

The Tourism Ministry approved the permits to build a hotel in Utheemu in March 2015.

Utheemu, an island with no involvement with tourism, is an island with major historic value with multiple sites on the island. The oldest residence in the country, “Utheemu Ganduvaru” (Utheemu Palace” is on the island.