The Economic and Youth Council is currently raising funds for the development and acceleration of tourism in the second development phase of reclaimed suburb Hulhumalé, which is being developed as a “Youth City”, said tourism minister Moosa Zameer on Wednesday. In response to a question by Haveeru during the Economic council’s visit to observe the Youth City’s progress, Minister Zameer said a certain area of the Youth City has been allocated for the tourism industry. The minister projected that the number of tourists to the Maldives will increase next year due to the Visit Maldives Year 2016 celebration, along with the expansion of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA). Hence, the council is raising funds for the development of the tourism sector in Youth City, which can house 3,600 beds, said the minister. Zameer also revealed that the government is in discussion with various foreign investors for the development and management of State Trading Organisation (STO)’s hotel currently being constructed in Hullhumalé. “We’re also discussing with [the investor] the development of the water front next to that hotel,” said the minister. He added that projects involving the private sector are progressing without much disruption. Minister Zameer also stated that ministers of different industries are working to form partnerships with the private sector in order to develop the infrastructure of the institutions under their liability. “We have already brought the [investors] we invited on our visit [to Singapore] to the Maldives and showed them our projects. Some of them have met directly with the president and we have provided them with information on our investment climate, and our plans for progress and such,” said the minister. Noting that a number of investors are still in the country, the minister assured they are working to promote tourism in the Youth City and secure investments. “A quality tertiary hospital is also being built here [Hulhumalé] with state-of-the-art technology, which we’re trying to promote as medical tourism. With the expansion of the airport in progress, we’re venturing to bring in the necessary amount of tourists,” said Minister Zameer. The minister concluded that various field of the tourism industry will boom with the development of the Youth City.