According to The Standard, President Muizzu launched the Ayla township in Noonu Atoll in January 2026, combining premium hospitality and upscale residential development.
According to The Standard, President Mohamed Muizzu launched the Ayla Sustainable Township in January 2026, describing it as the first development authorised under the Maldives' Special Economic Zone Act. The USD 790 million project (about MVR 12 billion) is developed by Crystal Holdings, under an investment agreement signed on 31 December 2025.
Ayla covers the Digufaru lagoon, Dhekunufaru and Kuramaadhoo in Noonu Atoll. It combines premium hospitality and upscale residential development with infrastructure: a hospital aimed at medical tourism, an international tourism school and an island dedicated to aquaculture and agriculture. The township is designed to run on 60 percent renewable energy, and completion is scheduled for 2028.
The article does not say how residential units will be sold or who may buy them. In the Maldives foreigners generally hold property on long leases rather than owning land outright, so any buyer should ask for the lease term, registration and renewal terms in writing before paying a deposit.