Maldives tourism authorities are planning 23 new hotel complexes with 2,100 beds in the three and four star sector, not of the luxury resort category.
The goal is to attract more guests with smaller holiday budgets to the Indian Ocean island group, which has so far mainly drawn wealthy Europeans and Asians.
Construction is planned to start at the end of the year on the thus-far uninhabited islands Thumburi and Hulhiyandhoo.
The 23 hotel complexes should be completed by the end of 2016 and a bridge will connect the two islands.
