Mixed blessings for Maafushi’s guesthouse boom
The success of Maafushi – and the ensuing development of guesthouses – have sparked concerns. Construction noise has deterred guests, and the loss of sea views has hurt the value of profitable rooms.
23 Oct 2017, 9:00 AM
The evening call to prayer settles across Maafushi, marking the end of a long day for tourists enjoying the trademark sun, sand and sea of the Maldives – once an exclusive experience but now available on a shoestring.
Maafushi, hailed by the World Bank for its inclusive wealth creation, is a kaleidoscope in the falling sun.
The islanders, hiding away from the afternoon heat, emerge to sit in the joalis as salt-air cools the streets. The visitors, exhausted from their activities, stroll back to their rooms to rest before dinner. In a few hours, the islanders will return to their homes and the visitors will adorn the streets in vibrant outfits.
The first Maldives guesthouse opened on Maafushi in 2010. Being only half an hour away from the capital made it the perfect place for the guesthouse experiment: tourists could have simple and affordable holidays more closely aligned with island life. It helped that Maafushi had established infrastructure – something local islands still struggle with.
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