The country’s first “integrated resort” opened at the reclaimed Emboodhoo lagoon near the capital last week.

The Crossroads project by Thai developer Singha Estate is the largest tourism-related project undertaken in the Maldives. Two of nine artificial islands reclaimed from the lagoon were officially opened on Thursday by Vice President Faisal Naseem.

According to a press release by Singha Estate, the first island is home to Marina at Crossroads, an 11,000 square meter retail and entertainment space with “luxury shopping, fine dining, a state-of-the-art event hall, and PADI-certified water sports and dive centre.”

The SAii Lagoon Maldives transit hotel by Hilton for short-term visitors stopping over at the Velana International Airport is also located on the first island. Both the capital city and airport island are a 15-minute speedboat ride from Crossroads. A ferry is due to operate daily between Malé and Crossroads from 10am to 12am.

An “interactive educational-centre-cum-museum” called the Maldives Discovery Centre and the Marine Discovery Centre equipped with the region’s most advanced marine life laboratories are also hosted on the first island. The marine centre “hosts biologists who carry out research and longitudinal studies on sea-life and coral propagation through a Junior Coral Curator programme and a clownfish release initiative that span within the area of 64,000 square meters.”

The Hard Rock Hotel Maldives, developed and managed by S Hotels & Resorts, is on the second island along with the world- renowned architecture studio Bensley Design.

Launched in July 2017, the project drew criticism over the environmental impact of reclaiming lagoons as well as the mass removal of trees for landscaping.

But Singha Estate said efforts were made to preserve the marine ecosystem.

In his remarks at the inauguration ceremony, VP Faisal Naseem also commended Singha Estate for “the comprehensive measures they undertook to ensure that the construction of Crossroads occurred in harmony with the Maldives’ natural blessings, proving that sustainable tourism and large-scale economic progress can occur hand-in-hand.”

According to the developer, 376 rooms were built under the US$131 million first phase of the Crossroads project and at least 1,000 job opportunities would be created for Maldivian. The project also includes a luxury yacht marina, a lifestyle beach club, retail and fine dining. An ‘Eight New Wonders of the Maldives’ is planned with a “coral village, iconic tuna sculptures, sunset point, and Emboodhoo canyon.”

Tourism Minister Ali Waheed said 60 percent of Crossroads employees are Maldivian, 20 percent of whom are women. Only seven percent of resort workers were female as of last year.

The opening ceremony featured live performances, an “international aerial silk show” and the screening of a short documentary on the making of Crossroads.

The vice president assured the government’s commitment to “facilitating projects of a similar scale and vision in the country, in line with its goal of increasing tourist arrivals in the country by several millions in the coming years.”