Trump hotel to be established in the Maldives
View(s):The Maldives, one of the most luxurious destinations in the world, is surging ahead with new resort openings – in the next few years – including one from US President Donald Trump’s company, while it aims to reach all price points, not only the luxury segment.
Abdulla Ghiyas, chairman of the official Visit Maldives, said that guesthouse tourism, which taps the middle-to-lower income market, is growing in a big way. Some 25 per cent of the 67,000 rooms is represented by guest houses as at end October 2025.
“While we were once a high-end one-island-one resort destination, we have now expanded to cater to all price points and in particular enhancing experiences like partaking of local food and customs etc,” he told the Sunday Times Business.
Planned for opening in 2026, DarGlobal, the London-listed luxury real estate developer, and The Trump Organization, now run by Trump’s children, last month launched Trump International Hotel Maldives, the brand’s first property in the Maldives, and the launch of the world’s first tokenised hotel development tied to the project.
According to experts, tokenised refers to the process of converting traditional financial assets into digital tokens on a blockchain. Tokenised assets can represent various types of financial instruments, such as stocks, bonds, and real estate, and are often tied directly to their underlying value, making transactions more efficient and transparent.
New high end resorts include the 54-keys Bvlgari opening next year, Atlantis with 493 accommodations including 223 villas and mansions, across two islands opening in 2029: 52-keys Aman Maldives with 16 branded residencies opening 2026-27l, 41-keys Maxx Royal opening 2026; and Baccarat Maldives with 50 villas and 53 private residences opening in 2027.
While revenue from tourism this year will reach a record US$5 billion, arrivals will top 2.2 million, Mr. Ghiyas said, adding that the 10 per cent increase in arrivals will also be a target for next year. The destination is aiming for a 15 per cent growth in tourism revenue in 2026, vital foreign exchange as the small island destination relies heavily on imports to sustain its economy.
“More than the number of arrivals, we are focusing on garnering more revenue as the country needs foreign exchange to pay our foreign debt,” he said.
The sector performance this year has exceeded expectations. “At the beginning of the year 2025 there were expectations of negative growth owing to an increase in Airport Development Fee, Tourism GST and Green Tax but the performance this year, despite these developments has been beyond expectations. New campaigns and roadshows helped to boost arrivals and revenue,” he said in an interview.
Another new development is the construction of hospitals alongside resorts as the Maldives hopes to focus on medical tourism. Training resorts are a new concept, where hospitality courses will be run with on—the–job training at resorts. The destination is helped by revamping local airports to international standards to help connectivity.
The authorities aim to hold the second Super Yachts campaign next year, working with major private jets operators. The first one was held in early 2025.
This year at least four new resorts have opened including the Mandarin Oriental with 60 overwater villas and the Meyyafushi Maldives with 95 rooms and villas and an underwater restaurant and 24-hour dining.
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