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Addu City Eyes for a Yacht Marina

Addu City in Addu Atoll is the southernmost collection of islands in Maldives with prospects of becoming a future economic hub. The second largest city after capital Male’, Addu City already owns a fast growing economy paced to execute the economic agenda tailored by the city council. With their economy on boom, the council plans to establish Addu City as a successful tourist destination that will cater to preferences of all groups of travelers.

 

Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa and Herathera Island Resort are popular tourist attractions already in Addu Atoll. Top brands in the Hotel Industry are yet to arrive, and a couple of City Hotels are at the stage of blue prints. Hotels and Resorts aside, Addu City is now eyeing for a yacht marina, to host sailing travelers, who are frequent guests to Addu Atoll for years. On Tuesday, Abudulla Sodiq Mayor of Addu City Council invited investors to develop a Yacht Marina in Addu City, a project which he said is looked forward by the city council.

 

In part for its location, and for the vast collection of natural opulence, and perhaps for the island’s significance in the history of Maldives, Addu Atoll has, for years, been a popular stop-over destination for sailors. (Addu City is close to equator, supposedly the reason for the islands exceptional natural features and Addu Atoll Gan served as an airbase to British Army during the Second World War, while Maldives was British protectorate.) About 40-50 yachts harbored in Addu Atoll during 2010. However the numbers have fallen in 2011 and yacht agents blame government’s renewed regulation that raised charges taken from yacht operators.

 

Uligam, is far North is another popular yacht destination that suffered the brunt of new regulations. More than 90 yachts visited the island in 2010, and in 2011 the number fell to 50, according to reports.

 

Mayor Abdulla Sodiq believes that a yacht marina can revive Addu City as a popular yacht destination. He repeated a concern raised by many people in the industry, lack of convenient arrangements to meet the demands or requirements of sailors. Sodiq said the opportunity is open for private investors to develop a fully fledged yacht marina in Addu City. The details of this project are not yet disclosed, however, a Yacht Marina is a huge part of development plan inked by Addu City Council.