Addu City welcomed its first cruise ship of the year as Noble Caledonia docked at Maradhoo on Friday morning, bringing over 100 tourists to the region. 

The vessel arrived with assistance from marine conservation organisation Manta Trust and was greeted at Maradhoo Port with cultural performances.

The visiting tourists explored various parts of Addu City, including Addu Nature Park and other historically significant sites. While cruise ships had previously been a common sight in the area, such visits almost came to a halt following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The arrival of Noble Caledonia aligns with renewed efforts to boost tourism in Addu City. Recently, the tourism brand Beyond Addu was launched to enhance the region’s visibility as a travel destination. As part of these promotional efforts, Addu City Council participated alongside the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) at the World Travel Market Fair in England last November.

The Government is actively working to expand tourism in Addu City, with discussions underway to establish international flight connections alongside ongoing development plans at Gan International Airport, set for completion this year. As part of these efforts, an integrated tourism development project in Hankede was announced in October last year, which includes the construction of 560 rooms to enhance visitor accommodation.

To further promote tourism, designated tourism zones have been allocated land for development. The Government has pledged additional financial support to those awarded these plots. Furthermore, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has outlined plans to develop 6,000 tourist beds in Addu as part of the ‘Addu Asseyri Tourism Development Plan’.