Maldives Unveils New Terminal At Velana Airport, Eyes Expansion With Hanimadhoo Project
Maldives tourism gets a new gateway as the new terminal at Velana International Airport is inaugurated on the occasion of the the country's Independence Day.
In a grand ceremony held in Malé, the Maldives inaugurated the new terminal at Velana International Airport. This long-awaited project is expected to boost the country's tourism industry. The new terminal increases the Maldives' capacity to handle 7.5 million passengers per year.
Maldives' President Mohamed Muizzu, inaugurated the terminal and thanked development partners such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, and OPEC for their assistance.
Speaking to CNN-News18, Md. Lamman, Deputy Manager at Maldives Airports Company Limited, said, 'There are three main new technologies that have come to this terminal. Passenger Boarding Bridges, automatic visuals talking systems, full automated baggage handling systems and also with this all the check-in systems and self checking systems."
'That is why we call it enhanced facilities. Here we can handle 20,000-25000 passengers everyday," he added.
CNN-News18 also spoke to Abdulla Ghiyas on the occasion. He said, 'Tourism is the lifeline of the Maldives. Velana International Airport is the gateway to the country. Last year, we broke the 2 million mark. This new terminal will help us double that. We needed this to take our growth in tourism to the next level. It will act as a catalyst to reach our future goals."
The terminal spans 72,000 square metres and includes 12 passenger boarding bridges, a state-of-the-art baggage handling system, and automated transport and sorting of checked luggage.
In terms of passenger facilities, it features 47 traditional check-in counters, 6 self-service kiosks, 1 counter for oversized baggage, and 24 dedicated check-in counters for seaplane passengers. The airport also has 20 departure immigration counters and 28 arrival immigration counters.
The Maldives is focusing on airport development. It currently has 20 airports, both small and large. The next major project is Hanimadhoo Airport, which is nearly complete and expected to launch by the end of this year. India is assisting with the development of Hanimadhoo Airport.
Nursing Janah, speaking to CNN-News18 at the launch of the new terminal, said, 'This is something we are working on. We are also developing Hanimadhoo Airport as a different product."
The first flight to land at the new terminal was a Maldivian Airlines flight from Cochin. It was welcomed with a water salute by the airport authorities.
The grand ceremony in Malé was followed by a spectacular fireworks display in the Maldivian skies.
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