According to media reports, US venture capital firm Blackstone is set to acquire the leasehold rights of at least three resorts in the Maldives from Thailand’s Minor Hotels.
Sources say that Blackstone had offered to acquire the leasehold rights of three Anantara-branded resort islands:
While there is speculation for the acquisition of the property, it was reported recently that the Maldives Ministry of Tourism has issued two separate notices to clear any debt or claims on the islands before the lease transfer — a legal requirement for transferring leasehold rights of tourist resorts in the Maldives.
Minor Hotels owns and operates Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas in Baa atoll and Niyama Private Islands Maldives in Dhaalu atoll. It’s reported that despite the sale, the resorts will be run under Minor Hotels’ Anantara brand.
In February 2013, the US-based company bought TMA’s majority shares of USD550 million which is worth MVR8.4 billion. Following their acquisition of the seaplane operator, the company acquired the Conrad Maldives resort.
Maldives resort properties are a favorite for foreign hospitality groups and businesses to acquire into their business operations.
Recently the German-based Seaside Hotels & Resorts acquired Finolhu Maldives, a resort in Baa atoll, for approximately USD 90 million.
