Abdulla Nasheed, also known as Kaani Abdulla, has been elected as the President of the National Hotels and Guest House Association (GAM) for a second term. As the CEO of Kaani Hotels, which owns some of the largest guest houses in the Maldives, Abdulla has been a significant contributor to the association for the past three years.
During the Annual General Meeting, where 29 lawmakers attended, Abdulla secured his position as President for the next three years with an overwhelming vote of 27 in his favor. This demonstrates the trust and confidence that the members of the organization have in his leadership abilities.
Under Abdulla’s guidance, Kaani Hotels has successfully operated five guest houses in Kaafu Atoll Maafushi, providing a total of 490 beds. His dedication and efforts have greatly benefited the Guest House Association. Furthermore, a sixth guest house is currently being constructed in Maafushi, and plans are underway for the development of a luxury tourist hotel in Ukulhas. These expansions will elevate Kaani Hotels’ bed capacity to an impressive 940.
In addition to Abdulla’s re-election, other key leadership positions were filled during the AGM. Ahmed Waheed from Noo Moo Guest House and Abdul Samiu Imad from Gumbar Inn were elected as Vice-Presidents, bringing their expertise and experience to the association. Ahmed Naseer, who currently serves as the Finance Minister and Mohamed Sahfeeq’s Advisor, has been assigned the role of Corporate Affairs. Naseer is recognized as the visionary behind introducing the guest house business to Maafushi, which now boasts the highest number of guest houses in the Maldives.
The AGM also saw the appointment of members to important positions such as financial controllers, PR and marketing, and Exco. Abdulla, in his address, expressed his plans to launch a magazine next year that will showcase photographs and information about guest houses. This magazine aims to effectively market the diversity of guest houses and promote the industry at major fairs. “We are enthusiastic about displaying the wide range of guest houses and promoting our industry,” Abdulla remarked, emphasizing his commitment to the growth and success of the guest house sector in the Maldives.
