Integrated Resort Scheme
The Integrated Resort Scheme (IRS) is a program designed to facilitate the acquisition of resort and residential property by non-citizens on the island. Through the IRS, international buyers can become Mauritian residents as soon as they acquire a luxury property on the island.
To draw on opportunities from the IRS, property developers can engage in comprehensive development of luxury villas and outstanding residential properties to the highest international standards as well as extensive and high-class leisure and recreational facilities. These may include:
- golf course,
- marina,
- individual swimming pool,
- catering,
- nautical activities,
- wellness and health centres
Shopping malls and duty-free shops
With the objects to make Mauritius a duty-free island and to double the GDP per capita by 2010, remarkable opportunities exist for investment and development in shopping malls at strategic locations. Comprising of a blend of office spaces, commercial spaces for famous brands and leisure activities in an exciting environment, the shopping malls can tap the expected 2 million tourists visiting the country in the near future as well as the local population and high net worth citizens working and living in the country. The aim now is to further position Mauritius as a reputed shopping destination.
Office buildings, business and industrial parks
The ease of doing business in Mauritius coupled with the Government’s policy to allow foreign investors to acquire immovable property for business purposes are already transforming Mauritius into a major regional business hub. The property development landscape is witnessing major changes and significant potential exists for developing new business and industrial parks. High standard offices and industrial spaces can be set up and leased in the strategic business areas of Mauritius.
Hotel Development
To further expand the tourism industry, 25,000 additional rooms will be required by 2015 to accommodate the increasing number of tourist arrivals. Attractive seafront locations of several existing hotels may offer opportunities for redevelopment in terms of infrastructure, management and operation. Mauritius is already the home to international hotel chains such as Hilton, Maritim, Meridien, Accor, Oberoi, Taj, Mövenpick, Four Seasons, Club Med and One & Only Le Touessrok, among others.
High-class business hotels
The development of Mauritius as a regional business centre should give scope for the growth of business tourism. Mauritius is now on the global map for MICE activities and this new product category definitely contributes to the success of the existing business hotels. The development of high-class business hotels is an area with significant untapped potential given the strong growth of this lucrative market segment.
Gaming resorts
Mauritius provides an enabling framework for hospitality and gaming consortia. Provision of gaming resorts comprising of convention and exhibition facilities, themed attractions, entertainment and performance venues, casino gaming, recreation facilities, hotels and retail uses could be explored in the entertainment sector. Hospitality and gaming consortia have the opportunity to create an industry that will not only satisfy domestic demand but also meet the needs of the growing tourism industry.
Health tourism
Mauritius is already providing medical health facilities to foreigners, especially with the emergence of multi-speciality hospitals and speciality centres. This concept of medical tourism, which provides for a diversified tourist product, is increasingly in demand and is expected to grow. With the policy to allow retired non-citizens to become residents in Mauritius, there is an increasing demand for services such as luxurious wellness centres, spa ayurvedic centres and healthcare centres for medical treatment and rehabilitation.
Eco-tourism projects
Much emphasis around the world is being laid on the eco-label tourism. Mauritius is endowed with world-class tourism establishments which project natural attractions and exciting landscapes such as rich forests, endemic trees, mountains, parks, valleys and rivers. Mauritius offers fantastic opportunities for eco-tourism development in terms of chalet residences, hiking, trekking, quad biking, mountaineering, bird and dolphin watching.
Heritage and cultural tourism
With its rich mixture of culture, Mauritius has the capacity to provide a rewarding and satisfying cultural experience to a wide range of tourists. Programs are underway to further conserve historical sites and areas alongside the development of interpretative centres and promotion of cultural activities. An interesting aspect of development possibilities for cultural tourism lies in the abundance and diversity of the culture in Mauritius. Historical buildings, colonial houses, bridges, architecture and traditional lifestyle can become original tourist attractions.
Amusement parks
Amusement parks are some of the most popular tourist attractions throughout the world. In Mauritius there is an identified niche waiting to be filled for such attractions. With the increasing number of tourist arrivals, innovation is necessary for a constant rejuvenation of the existing tourist attractions. New tourist attractions such as amusement parks, reptile parks, zoos, safari, adventure parks, 3D and interactive animation parks, film attraction parks, aquarium and marine parks can be developed in the island.
Leisure activities
The topography and the panoramic scenery of the mountains across the island offer a unique environment for leisure activities such as hiking, parasailing and paragliding. Since the island is surrounded by a coral fringing reef, snorkelling, scuba diving and submarine activities could be developed to explore the existing diversity of marine life. Divers can come face to face with dolphins, whales, sharks, barracudas, eagle rays and an innumerable amount of fish. Further on, the southern part of the island offers world class spots for surfing, wind and kite surfing.
Marinas
The development of IRS villas in Mauritius has witnessed a large number of high net worth individuals acquiring yachts and super yachts for their leisure activities. With the limited marina facilities in Mauritius and the forecasted development of 4200 luxury villas by 2010, huge potential exists for the installation of marinas to meet the future mooring requirements of yachts bought by the villa owners. In this context, the government has already identified potential and sustainable sites around the island for marina development.
