Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has announced the closing of the only island resort of the brand in the Maldives indefinitely.

In a memo seen by several local media outlets, Rahim Flynn, the General Manager at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa, told his staff that the owners and management were unable to find any way to restart operations after the suspension of operations in April in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The resort will cease its operations indefinitely and all employees, except a few needed for the general upkeep of the property, will be made redundant, he added.

Perched on its own private island in the heart shaped Addu atoll, Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa is a tropical sanctuary south of the equator. An exclusive all-villa hideaway with endless recreational activities, unforgettable dining experiences and a spectacular nine-hole golf course, there’s adventures to be had on every corner of the island.

Despite several new resort developments and a boom in guesthouse tourism in the Maldives, Addu as a whole has lagged behind for years in attracting tourism-related investments.

Up until recently, the relatively large atoll, which has unique geographical features compared to other parts of the island nation, was home to only two of the some 140 tourist resorts in the Maldives; Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, and Canareef Resort Maldives.

(Source)

 Photo credit: Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa