Saturday
5th Oct 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Meeting held at the tourism ministry with Shangrila
Malé, Maldives - Today, Minister of Tourism Ibrahim Faisal, along with five parliament members from Addu City, met with the management of Shangri-La Hotels to address the ongoing closure of the Shangri-La resort. The resort has remained shut since 2020, resulting in significant job losses for the local community.
During the meeting, the Minister expressed concerns about the resort's continued non-operation, emphasizing the negative impact on employment. Reopening the resort is a key campaign pledge of President Dr. Mohammed Muizzu.
In response to the situation, Minister Faisal proposed the establishment of a special task force dedicated to the reopening of the Shangri-La resort. This initiative aims to expedite the process and ensure the resort's swift return to operation.
The MPs from Addu City raised several concerns during the meeting:
- The lack of a clear timeline for the resort's reopening.
- The current staffing situation, with only 60 staff managing the property, of which only four are Maldivians. The MPs called for the hiring of more Maldivian staff.
Mr. Brice Lunot, General Manager of both Shangri-La Resort and Hotel Jen Malé, and Saud Abdullah, Director of Government & General Affairs, participated in the meeting. However, they were unable to provide definitive answers regarding the reopening timeline or staffing issues, as they do not have the authority to speak on behalf of the Shangri-La Group.
The government and the Shangri-La management are expected to continue discussions to resolve these issues and work towards the reopening of the resort, fulfilling a promise made to the people of Addu City.
The government and the Shangri-La management are expected to continue discussions to resolve these issues and work towards the reopening of the resort, fulfilling a promise made to the people of Addu City.