In a decisive move reflecting President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s development agenda, the Government has announced that Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort in Addu City is slated to reopen by 31 December 2025, a key promise from his campaign and first year in office.
Reopening Signals Fulfillment of a Core Pledge
President Muizzu pledged during his campaign and early tenure to revive the resort within his first year and to expand the tourism footprint in Addu, including improving connectivity via Gan International Airport. The resort, shuttered since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, employed more than 500 staff prior to closure and had long been a cornerstone of Addu’s local economy. Government sources say sustained negotiations with Addu Investments Pvt. Ltd. and Shangri-La’s management culminated in today’s firm commitment to recommence operations.
Strategic Meetings, Share Transfers, and Government Support
Earlier in 2025, a high-level meeting convened ministers from Tourism, Finance, and the Attorney General’s office with Shangri-La representatives to chart the path to reopening. That engagement is part of a broader push to expedite the resort’s return.
In prior years, under the administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the government divested its 30 percent stake in Addu Investments Pvt. Ltd., which operates the resort. Though the state no longer holds an ownership share, officials now emphasize a facilitative role—providing regulatory support, infrastructure alignment, and coordination among stakeholders.
From Promise to Delivery — Broader Government Vision
The reopening is not merely a tourism initiative, but a demonstration of this administration’s commitment to equitable regional development. Muizzu’s government frames this as part of a wider push to decentralize growth from the central atolls and bring opportunity to the outer islands.
Other pledges under Muizzu include infrastructure upgrades in newly reclaimed areas, construction of 1,000 housing units during his term, enhancements to water, sanitation, and energy networks, and the introduction of US dollar ATM services on select islands. In making these promises, the President underscores a development philosophy centered on cohesion, inclusion, and sustained economic participation by all island communities.
What Lies Ahead
As 31 December 2025 approaches, all eyes in Addu and across the Maldives will track the government’s ability to fulfill the promise. For many residents, the reopening represents a restoration of livelihoods, revived commerce, and renewed momentum for development in the southernmost atoll. If delivered on time, President Muizzu administration will have transformed a campaign promise into tangible impact.
