The Maldives Opens Bids to Develop Airports in Funadhoo, Maavaarulu – Expanding Domestic Airports to Boost Tourism

With high tourist footfall, the government of Maldives has taken steps to expand domestic airports in Funadhoo and Maavaarulu. It is to facilitate travel to a Maldives resort located in far-flung atolls such as Anantara Veli Maldives Resort. The Ministry of Finance and Treasury opened the bidding process in February 2018 to connect a taxiway and a runway in domestic airports. Considering bid security and performance security, all the interested companies had to include 5% of the project cost in bid proposals. While the bidding process is being carried out, the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) took steps to recover the 21 hectares of land in need of developing the airport in Funadhoo. The development project of Maavaarulu was terminated since its construction purposes were handed over to international. Construction of the new domestic airports will be completed by October 2018.