Maldives tourist arrivals will decline by 7.2% this year – Tourism

Ministry of Tourism, Information and Culture had projected that the tourist arrival for Maldives would decline by 7.2% at the end of the year.

Government had previously projected a 15% decline but had revised the figures bearing in mind the economic progress made around the globe and because of the 1.1% increase in the arrivals for the month of August.

Tourism statistics also reveals that tourist arrivals had been on a declining trend since late last year. As of the end of August, arrivals had declined by 8.8% compared to same period last year. Major markets such as Italy, Japan and Germany had shown massive declines. Tourist arrivals from UK had reduced by 13.9% while arrivals from Italy had declined by 15.2%. Arrivals from Germany had declined by 6.6%.

Statistics, however also shows that there are emerging markets for the industry. China has shown a remarkable 22.1% increase while China also makes up 7.9% of the total arrivals. China is now fifth largest market for the industry.

It must also be noted that arrivals from such European countries as Sweden and Romania are increasing while arrivals from the middle-eastern countries are also on a rising trend. United Nations World Tourism Organization projects that global tourist arrivals will decline by 4 – 6%. On a regional outlook, it also says that all continents except Africa will experience a decline of arrivals. For the Asia-Pacific region which Maldives is located, WTO estimates a 1 – 4% decline.

miadhu.com.mv

Anantara Scoops Six Awards this Summer

Travel + Leisure USA recently announced results of its “World’s Best” Awards. Voted for by the readers, Anantara Dhigu, Maldives and Anantara Golden Triangle, Thailand, ranked 6th and 8th respectively in Asia. Globally Anantara Maldives and Anantara Golden Triangle continue to make their mark coming 37th and 53rd out of 100 in the worldwide listing.

Continuing the trend, Anantara Dhigu out did its competitors in ISLANDS magazine’s! Coveted as one of the magazines "Top 10 Best Island Beaches”, the resort was the only resort in the Maldives to make the top 10 and was also chosen for the front cover of the September/October 2009 issue.

True to the Anantara brand, Anantara Hua Hin made its mark as one of the best ‘Spas in an Overseas Hotel’ in the annual Condé Nast Traveller 2009 Reader Awards. Readers also commented that Anantara Hua Hin offers the best accommodation for an overseas spa.

Anantara Phuket, which opened in October 2008, also made the top 20 ‘Overseas Leisure Hotels in Asia and the Indian Subcontinent’, a category where readers were asked to vote on their favourite hotel according to geographical location.

Less than a year after opening both Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara and Anantara Si Kao Resort & Spa have topped the charts in Elite Traveler’s annual “101 Top Hotel Suites of the World 2009” list. Established in 2001, Elite Traveler is the travel and lifestyle magazine of the rich and famous.

As the only property in Abu Dhabi to make the elite list, Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara’s exclusive Royal Villa was chosen for being the ultimate in privacy. Showcasing the best of Arabian decor, contemporary design and modern convenience each of the two Royal Villas come equipped with the best standards of luxury services including a 24/7 butler. These airy abodes feature two bedrooms, living and lounge space, kitchenette, dining area, private splash pools and boast direct access to the beach.

Anantara Si Kao Resort & Spa was awarded for its secluded Private Villa, haled as a “private haven” by Elite Traveler. The luxurious suite is formed from four traditional Thai villas set on customary stilts, joined by a wooden deck. The retreat is set on private grounds adjacent to the Chao Mai National Park forest beach overlooking a five mile stretch of unspoiled beachfront.

“It is indeed a great honour for us to not only be recognized by some of the leading travel publications in the world, but to be placed at the top of these lists. These awards are testament to Anantara’s dedication to service, our unique philosophy and unparalleled luxurious settings. We strive to provide our valued guests with a truly distinctive and indigenous experience,” said William E Heinecke, CEO of Minor International, the owning company of Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas.

For further information on Anantara Resorts & Spas please visit: www.anantara.com

ftnnews.com

Maldives should increase its efforts on advertizing tourism – Minister

Dr. Ahmed Ali Sawad, Minister of Tourism and Arts have said that the stakeholders of the Maldives tourism industry should step-up its advertizing campaign, speaking on the occasion of international tourism day.

Because of the global financial crisis people are traveling lesser as tourists and Maldives tourist arrival is down by 8.8% in comparison to last year, he said. As Maldives depends heavily on tourism, lot of work has to be done to reinstate tourism according to the Minister.

Minister also said that the government’s tourism policy’s main objective is to distribute the wealth gained by the industry to all its people. He also said that resorts are being leased in all the atolls of the country while public-private partnership models are being introduced to start new projects. He also said that government will do its utmost to provide employment for the locals from the tourism industry.

Protecting the nature, preserving the local culture, and establishing cultural centers in the island to encourage tourists to visit cultural and historic sites are among priorities of the policy, according to Minister. According to the Minister, streamlining the resort rents would also enable the government to tax all the resorts on a common basis.

He also noted that experts are predicting the revival of the tourism industry and even for the Maldives, statistics for the month of August had shown improvements. Once tourism picks up, dollar shortage in the country can be eliminated according to the Minister, which would also help the investors to develop the resorts which are under construction.

miadhu.com.mv

Six Senses appoints Alan Thomas as Managing Director Maldives and Sri Lanka

Alan Thomas has been promoted to the position of Managing Director, Maldives and Sri Lanka, from his previous role as General Manager of Six Senses Hideaway and Evason Hua Hin, Thailand.

In his new role he will oversee the Soneva Fushi by Six Senses, Soneva Gili by Six Senses, and Six Senses Latitude Laamu - which is scheduled to open early 2010.

Alan is an experienced international hotelier with over 30 years of valuable management experience. Prior to joining Six Senses he opened, and was General Manager of the Crowne Plaza Marlow in Buckinghamshire, England.

Prior to that he spent three years as General Manager of the prestigious Stapleford Park Country House Hotel and Sporting Estate in Melton Mowbray, England and also spent two years as Deputy General Manager at The Grosvenor House on Park Lane.

Previous to this, Alan spent 11 years with Mandarin Oriental in various capacities in Hong Kong, the Philippines and San Francisco where he was based for three years. Alan trained with the Savoy Hotel Group, London and is married with two grown children.

Alan is based at Soneva Fushi in the Maldives.

asiatraveltips.com

One&Only Reethi Rah announces Stephan Killinger as General Manager

One&Only Resorts is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephan Killinger as General Manager One&Only Reethi Rah with immediate effect. Reporting to Paul Jones, President One&Only Resorts, Stephan will oversee all operations at the award-winning resort in the Maldives.

Not his first foray with One&Only Resorts, German-born Killinger previously worked as Executive Assistant Manager at One&Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas. Most recently, he spent nine years with Four Seasons Resorts and Hotels and joins the luxury resort company from the Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano in Egypt where, as General Manager, he managed the pre-opening and the opening of the 118-room resort.

Prior to joining Four Seasons in Egypt, he spent many years working for other prestigious hotel companies such as Pensinsula and Ritz Carlton, mainly focusing on both F&B and resort management.

Paul Jones, President One&Only Resorts, comments:’ Stephan brings a wealth of experience to his new role and I know he will be a valuable asset to One&Only Reethi Rah. I am confident that with him at the helm, we will continue to exceed guest expectations and deliver the true One&Only experience.’

Also joining One&Only Reethi Rah is new Director of Sales & Marketing Maria Cristina Cesario, bringing with her more than ten years of sales, marketing and public relations’ experience. A native Italian, she has worked at some of the world’s most distinguished hotels including the Grand Palazzo della Fonte in Fuggia, Rome and the Forte Village Resort in Sardinia where she was Hotel Manager of the resort’s 47-room Villa del Parco & Spa.

etbmice.com

MTDC commence sales of shares

Maldives Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has on Wednesday opened sale of the remaining 40 percent of the 688,123 shares offered for sale in July this year.

MTDC official said sale of the remaining 277, 557 shares commenced on Wednesday as announced earlier through Bank of Maldives (BML) branches and will sales continue till 4 November. MTDC is selling a share at Rf. 165 each.

MTDC informed that shareholders, who do not have the maximum amount of shares permitted, would be able to buy shares. However, he said the sale is targeted more at islanders, who do not have any shares.

He also said marketing activities aimed at providing information to islanders living in the atolls will commence next week.

MTDC commenced sale of some 688,123 shares to the public early July this year. The shares with a face value of Rf.100 were sold with a premium of Rf.65 at Rf.165 per share.

MTDC Managing Director Mohamed Mihad , speaking at a news conference held earlier ,said the sale of the shares , that time , exceeded expectations and that out of 688,123 shares some 410,713 were sold. He has said due to public demand and with the approval of the corporation’s board, the sale of the remaining 277,410 shares were to be opened after Ramadan.

He then said during the second round of sales of MTDC shares, 60 percent of the shares were sold generating Rf.67.7 million to the corporation. He revealed that over 400,000 shares were purchased by 3,856 parties.

The revenue earned from sales of the 688,132 shares is to be spent on the development of City Hotel in Uligamu of Ha Atoll. The hotel is designed to be a 3 star 100 beds tourist resort. MTDC reports work on the hotel will be completed and the hotel will be opened by end of the year.

MTDC has leased 9 islands for development of tourist resorts from the government. Out of which on Herethere Resort has been completed and opened for business. The rest of the islands are Uligamu, Vodamulla , Ebudhoofutta , Olhuvelifushi , Naagoshi , Kihavah huravelhi , Mamuddhua and Kodeymathilabadhoo.

Maldives named as second best Asian holiday destination

A global vote by readers of smarttravelasia.com has placed Maldives and Phuket in Thailand as second best Asian holiday destination.

Bali in Indonesia stands first and Kerala as the third best. Kerala is followed by Hong Kong (4th), Bangkok and Hoi An (5th), Boracay, Goa and Langkawi (6th), Chiang Mai and Palawan (7th), Angkor, Shanghai and Tokyo (8th), Dubai and Koh Samui (9th) and Penang and Rajasthan (10th).

This was revealed in the 2009 best in Travel Poll by Smart Travel Asia – the region’s only dedicated online travel magazine which puts the spotlight on ‘inspirational’ brands and travel trends.

Voters polled in 12 categories including Asia’s best business hotels, luxury resorts, spas, destinations, business cities, shopping spots, and the world’s best airlines and airports. The poll was conducted through May-July this year.

Despite poor tourist arrival rates throughout 2009, statistics by the Department of Immigration and Emigration shows that August 2009 shows an increase. The statistics shows that 52,388 tourists visited Maldives in August 2009, while 51,824 tourists arrived in August 2008, registering a 1.1% increase. However, for the period from January to August 2009, a reduction of tourist arrivals by 8.8% was registered compared to the same period last year. During January and August 2009, 415,433 tourists arrived while 455,423 tourists arrived during the same period last year.

From the Asian region 12,085 tourists visited Maldives during August 2009. Chinese arrivals have shown the biggest increase from the region. During August 2009, 6197 Chinese tourists visited Maldives, registering an 80.1% increase.

In addition to the China, tourist arrivals from American region had also increased during August 2009, registering an 11.5% increase.

During the August 2009, tourists had spent 426,063 nights in the Maldives marking a 5.9% reduction. At the end of August 2009 of the 96 resort’s registered 20,614 beds, 85 resorts had operated 19,428 beds. Occupancy rates for August 2009 were at 66.9% and tourists had spent 8.8 nights in the Maldives.

Source: miadhu.com.mv

Tourist arrivals to Maldives increase in August 2009

Tourist arrivals to Maldives finally began to increase in August after being in gradual decline for a while.

Based on statistics released by the Department of Immigration and Emigration, the Tourism Ministry has said that a total of 52,338 tourists had arrived in Maldives in August, registering an increase of 1 percent over August 2008 tourist arrivals which was 51,824.

According to the Tourism Ministry’s statistics, tourist arrivals had been gradually decreasing every month since January this year.

Despite the tiny increase in tourist arrivals in August this year, the overall arrivals had decreased by 8.8 percent this year. A total of 455,423 tourists had arrived in Maldives during the first eight months last year, while 415,443 tourists had arrived during the same period this year.

The Tourism Ministry said that they had estimated earlier that the tourist arrivals would decrease by 11 percent this year but that the estimates had now been revised to show a 7.4 percent decrease.

On average, 85 resorts in Maldives had operated 19,428 beds, and occupancy rates for August 2009 were at 66.9 percent. Tourists had on average spent 8.8 nights in the Maldives.

Source: haveeru.com.mv/english

"Ticket to Ride" at Anantara Maldives Resort & Spa

Just a short boat ride from the luxurious Anantara Maldives, the tremendous wave variety creates the ultimate 'Ticket to Ride'. This aptly named 5-star service offered by Anantara, caters for beginner to advanced surfers to exclusively ride the waves and experience this unrivalled Maldivian setting. White sandy beaches and tropical islands are surrounded by aqua marine oceans giving way to perfectly groomed waves, sweeping over flawlessly curved coral reefs.

Unlike the busy North, waves in the peaceful Anantara area offer six quality types to choose from. Enjoy the playful rolling waves, or choose to visit between April and October when the surfing season offers the most challenging down-the-line left barrels.

Partnered with award winning Australian company Tropic Surf to offer the most exhilarating repertoire of surfing options, Anantara offers a surfing-pass system that ensures a qualified guide, boat and equipment are dedicated to surfing guests. Surf-passes such as the 'Ticket to Ride' (TTR) allow no more than eight surfers to book at any one time ensuring optimum enjoyment for all participants on un-crowded waves.

The course method used by Tropic Surf is modular and allows students to develop their skills swiftly under a 10-grade system of skill progression. Novice surfers are given introductory lessons in the calm waters of the Anantara lagoon, guided by a qualified instructor. After fostering confidence in these ideal conditions, surfers can progress to the local surf break just off the lagoon edge. These perfectly shaped waves break over flat coral reefs, providing seamlessly peeled surf for novice surfers, as well as longboarders who enjoy an easy take-off and long ride.

For intermediate and advanced surfers, Tropic Surf provides 1, 3, 5 or 7-day coaching workshops with guided excursions to safely maximise each surfer's wave count. Video analysis is also on offer to help improve technique and progression. For those seeking the ultimate thrill, all-day surfing excursions on a private seaplane safari introduce surfers to some of the world's most secluded and perfect breaks, and unparalleled ocean gliding stimulation.

The 'ticket to ride' entitles guests to:

• Two dhoni boat transfers per day (towels and bottled water provided)
• Expert guidance and water safety
• Daily stand-up paddle or waterman activity
• Daily surf report service
• Tropic Surf arrival gift (7 day+ passes)
• Access to Tropic Surf's surf movie library
• Weekly information night
• Access to booties, wax, sunscreens, rash guards, towels, water, reef-safe leashes
• Board valet service

TTR allows guests multiple surfs per day, additional activities (such as stand up paddling or waterman training) and privileges including board valet, surf reports, movies and information nights. All surfers wishing to surf from Anantara or Naladhu Maldives can do so under the 'ticket to ride' system. Booking in advance is recommended, and also more cost effective.

Rates are exclusively from USD175 to USD990 for prepaid bookings before arrival at the resort, and from UDS195 to USD1120 when paying at the resort.

For the beginner:
Level 1: Costs $295 USD for your choice of either a 4-hour course or 2 x 2 hour course.

Level 2: Costs $195 USD per session.

etravelblackboardasia.com

First Holiday Inn opens in Maldives

The first international class hotel built in the capital Male’, Holiday Inn Male’, was opened yesterday.

At 15 storeys, Holiday Inn Male’ is the city’s newest and tallest hotel in the Maldives, commanding an unrivalled view of the harbor and beyond.

Sporting the new livery, quality facilities and service of the global Holiday Inn brand family, Holiday Inn Malé boasts of 117 stylish rooms which include 17 Superior Rooms, 77 Deluxe Rooms, 13 Deluxe Ocean view Rooms, 9 Premiere Rooms and a Presidential Suite. All rooms feature either a king bed or two twin beds and offer amenities such as broadband Internet, LCD TVs, minibar, complimentary tea/coffee making facilities and in-room safes. As for dining and entertainment, there is a Lobby Café, an all day dining restaurant, a rooftop restaurant offering European/Japanese fusion cuisine and a 24 hour in-room dining.

Further the hotel offers first class relaxation facilities, including a coconut spa, roof top infinity pool and state of the art fitness center.

Services offered by the hotel includes scuba diving and snorkeling, big game fishing, island excursions and picnics, Malé city tour, photo flights, resort day visits, submarine trips and others. For corporate meetings, Holiday Inn Male’ offers , 4 versatile meeting rooms including the Grand Ballroom offering 255 square meters of space, all equipped with the latest technology. They provide the ideal space for a range of function requirements: from seminars, board meetings and exhibitions, to wedding banquets and private celebrations catering for up to 180 persons, banquet style, or 240 for a reception

Speaking to Miadhu Daily, hotel’s business development manager Ali Faiz said that “the hotel is a huge development to Maldives in many ways”.

Just a short, five-minute speed boat-ride from Male’ international airport, Holiday Inn Male’ is located on Ameer Ahmed Magu, near the harbor front. Shops and markets are within a short walking distance and so are the various historical places of interest like the Old Friday Mosque, Sultan Park and The Presidential Palace, Muleeaage. The hotel provides the perfect gateway to holidaymakers heading out to outlying resort islands.

miadhu.com.mv

New generation Alila Villas resorts demonstrate world’s highest standard of sustainability

Alila Hotels and Resorts re-emphasizes its commitment to sustainable tourism in its new generation Alila Villas resorts, each a model of Alila’s longstanding philosophy of blending luxury resort living, the environment and the community. Built into the core concept of Alila Villas is the commitment to plan, design, and construct each property from the outset in full accordance with the Green Globe Building, Planning and Design Standard (BPDS), the premier worldwide sustainability certification for tourism businesses. This commitment distinguishes Alila Villas as perhaps the greenest resorts in the world, the only collection of resorts where all properties are sustainably developed from the ground up to this especially rigorous standard.

To date, Alila Villas Uluwatu, which opened in June 2009, and the soon-to-open Alila Villas Soori are the first properties in Bali to have achieved BPDS. Alila Villas Hadahaa, which opened this August, is the first property in the Maldives to have achieved the standard.

Driving Alila’s passionate commitment is the recognition that there is an unconditional need to preserve nature and in particular, the incredibly beautiful yet fragile destinations where its new-built properties are located. Alila is acutely aware that factoring in the principles of sustainability in the design, planning and building phase of a resort allows it to predict the potential impacts of the project and to identify opportunities for incorporating sustainable design, construction management and operational aspects of the project from an early stage.

“Alila resolutely chose to work towards the Green Globe BPDS as its broad and rigorous approach thoroughly ensures that all possible impacts on the environment and community as a result of the presence and construction of our new Alila Villas developments are addressed right from the beginning before the properties are built,” says Mark Edleson, President and CEO of Alila Hotels and Resorts.

“In fact, so stringent is the standard that it calls for many prerequisites that are above and beyond those required by the much-respected LEED certification. This means that our properties take significantly longer and cost more to build. We can however be sure that ultimately we are truly championing sustainable tourism. We also discovered that in the long term, Green Globe certified properties are cheaper to run. We estimate that it is 25 percent cheaper to operate Alila Villas Uluwatu than it would have otherwise cost. ”

The Green Globe BPDS focuses on performance outcomes in the following key areas:

• Protection of natural site features,
• Efficient use, conservation and management of natural resources,
• Greenhouse gas emissions,
• Development of sustainable and holistic communities, and
• Management of social and cultural issues.

The standard’s independent assessment is consequently based on a wide range of key indicators that allow an extremely careful, in-depth and exhaustive evaluation of a project’s plans towards achieving sustainability. These include:

• Master plan, building and infrastructure design,
• Building location and siting,
• Energy efficiency,
• Water management,
• Waste management,
• Resource conservation (materials),
• Chemical use,
• Storm water management,
• Social commitment, and
• Economic commitment.

For Alila Villas Uluwatu, only locally sourced building materials were used in its construction. These include local bamboo used for the ceilings of its villas, stone from the site itself that is hand cut for the garden walls, as well as the volcanic batu chandi rock used for the roofs of each villa. Even old timber telegraph poles and wood railway sleepers were recycled as building materials.

All hot water in the resort is heated by means of the waste heat generated by air-conditioning units. Also, a recyclable grey water system directs used water from washing machines and bathrooms to irrigate the property’s gardens. Furthermore, approximately 58 percent of the staff at Alila Villas Uluwatu are from the local community.

For Alila Villas Hadahaa in southern Maldives, while its design is also contemporary in nature, extensive use of many natural materials, including coconut and timber found in the region have been ingeniously incorporated. Notably, the resort site has a very low building and infrastructure coverage area, with only about 20% of the island being built up. Consequently, Alila Villas Hadahaa features just 50 exclusive villas. The Aqua Villas and jetty in particular were only built during extreme low tides to minimize silt disturbance, while several Island Villas were re-positioned during construction to preserve existing trees.

Alila’s quest for creating truly sustainable resorts does not stop at the building, planning and design stages. Alila seeks to attain the Green Globe Operational Company certification for its Alila Villas properties as each opens and goes into operation. Meanwhile, the development of more stunning and environment-conscious Alila Villas properties are currently underway in China, India, Laos, Oman and Vietnam.

etravelblackboard.com

JW Marriott Maldives Gaaskoshibee Resort and Spa is to open in fourth quarter of 2010

Marriott International has signed 21 management contracts for hotels and resorts in the Asia Pacific region.

The 21 hotels are scheduled to open through the end of 2013, represent four of the company’s lodging brands and will add nearly 7,000 rooms to Marriott’s previously-announced Asia Pacific pipeline of 37 hotels and 9,400 rooms now under construction. They are part of the company’s global development pipeline of 110,000 rooms.

When opened, the 58 hotels now under development will add over 16,000 rooms to Marriott’s Asia Pacific portfolio. This growth will bring the company’s presence in the region to 154 hotels offering 51,500 rooms in 18 countries by the end of 2013, ranking it among the largest international hotel operators in China, India and Thailand with 70, 31 and 26 properties respectively in each country.

In addition, the Ritz-Carlton portfolio in the region currently consists of 16 hotels and resorts offering approximately 5,000 rooms with nine properties and 1,500 rooms under development.

Hotels covered in the 21 new signings include:

- Two JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts-branded properties in Dalian and Sanya, China. They will join nine previously announced JW Marriott hotels under construction, including the recently announced 450-room JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi and the 106-villa JW Marriott Maldives Gaaskoshibee Resort & Spa which opens in fourth quarter of 2010.

- Ten full service, upscale Marriott Hotels & Resorts-branded properties that will be located in China, the Philippines and Thailand and include the 712-room Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Center and the 256-room Manila Airport Marriott Hotel opening later this year.

- Two full-service, upscale Renaissance Hotels & Resorts-branded properties in China.

- Seven upper-moderately-priced Courtyard by Marriott hotels. These will be located in Cambodia, China and India and include the 254-room Courtyard by Marriott Bangalore and Marriott International’s first hotel in Cambodia.

“We are excited by these spectacular, architecturally interesting additions to our already dynamic Asia Pacific pipeline especially since this growth is occurring in the context of the difficult global economy and tight credit markets,” said Ed Fuller, president & managing director of international lodging. “Clearly, these new hotels are testament to the recognized power of our brands to deliver results even under challenging conditions and to the success our existing hotels are enjoying in the region.”

asiatraveltips.com

Kanuhuraa Maldives wins Food Safety Asia Award

Kanuhuraa Maldives resort has been awarded the Food Safety Asia Award (FSA).

Lhaviyani atoll Kanuhuraa Maldives is the first Maldivian resort to receive the award. A total of 22 Maldivian resorts participated in the contest and Kanuhuraa took 80 percent in the audit done by FSA.

An official from the resort said that they were very happy at winning the award and that they would give the highest priority to food safety in the future. The official further said that the award was a result of the attention that the Kanuhuraa team paid to the safety of the food.

Food Safety Asia conducts workshops and trains people on food safety. The FSA has trained more than 10,000 people in Maldives.

haveeru.com.mv/english

Kuoni launches new look World Class brochure for 2010

Kuoni has launched its 2010 brochure for luxury holidays, which features handpicked luxury properties across 40 countries, as well as a number of tours and unique experiences.

The brochure, which is available from Kuoni's website, its high street stores and travel agents across the country, has been given a makeover to ensure it looks at home as a coffee table guide.

The World Class 2010 brochure features luxury holidays from over 170 quality hotels, alongside authentic travel experiences allowing travellers to do as the locals do and learn from experts in their field.

As well as the traditional Maldives holidays and five star holidays in Thailand, this year has seen a number of new destinations added to the Kuoni World Class brochure, including the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Brazil and Peru.

Kuoni has also added a number of new properties to their 2010 brochure, including the beach villas of Soneva Kiri by Six Senses in Thailand; the all villa Banyan Tree Sanya in China and the brand new Banyan Tree Ungasan Resort in Bali which is perched 70 metres atop Bali’s southern cliffs.

"Whatever luxury customers are looking for, they are sure to find it within the pages of World Class," says Sheena Paton, Kuoni World Class product manager. "Pampering beach and spa retreats, wilderness experiences, boutique hideaways and cultural journeys are all included. Today's discerning travellers have many amazing life experiences under their belts so we continue to explore and bring new experiences to them using our 103 years of travel expertise."

responsesource.com

Marriage counselling in the Maldives? Travel firm launches 'divorce tourism' packages

If you're experiencing marital strife, the thought of sharing your two-week holiday in the Maldives with a marriage guidance counsellor may not be conducive to patching things up.

But if one Indian travel firm's idea to use holidays to pull couples back from the brink of divorce catches on, the concept could be heading for Britain.

Mumbai-based KV Tours and Travels is offering 'divorce tourism' packages where couples are accompanied by a relationship counsellor to encourage them to give things another go.

Despite the fact that India has one of the world's lowest divorce rates with one in 100 married couples breaking up, it is apparently on the rise.

KV Tours and Travels chief executive Vijesh Thakker, who was inspired by the break-up of a friend's marriage, said: 'With divorce tourism, what we're trying to do is to bring together couples who are heading towards divorce to stop them.

'Nowadays divorce rates are rising, so we need to sort it out. It's a good thing we're doing. And we're helping domestic and international governments by promoting tourism.

'We're not destiny changers, we want them to treat the trip like a second honeymoon.'

Holiday options range from week-long breaks in hill station resorts at around $720 to far-flung destinations.

'We're trying to send them where they have not been before, where there are not many people - and no relatives,' added 'happily-married' Mr Thakker, who believes a seven-day holiday is long enough for a couples fate to be sealed.

Mr Thakker is marketing the concept to family members keen to see their relatives reunited.

Clinical psychologist and psychotherapist Rhea Pravin Tembhekar said the idea might work in some cases - but not all.

She said: 'If you're fighting about trivial things, like time management or in-laws issues - "my mother, your mother, my money, your money, etcetera" - maybe a holiday might work.

'But sometimes the issues are very critical, like domestic violence. You can't go on holiday and resolve that.'

dailymail.co.uk

The Maldives road show 2009 goes to Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen.

This is the first time the Maldives Tourism Board would like to invite tour operators, travel agents, airlines and members of the media from Scandinavia to join the Road show for a travel trade, presentation and seminar.

Welcome light snacks and drinks will be available and fabulous prize give-a ways for free holidays in Maldives. There will be a five star line up of Co- participants for example Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Angsana Hotels & Resorts and Island Pearl Hotels.

The Seminar offers you an opportunity to discover the possibilities of Maldives and get first hand information about this true paradise. At the same time you have an opportunity to meet hoteliers and tour operators from the Maldives who will present the attractions of this luxury destination as well as their products and services.

Indivo Global Consultancy - a leading Scandinavian marketing company who have been representing destinations and resorts through out the world, will be organizing this world class event. Indivo Global Consultancy have specialised in promoting and positioning foreign resorts into Scandinavia since 1997.

The Maldives road show takes off in Stockholm Sunday the 20th of September 2009 in Quality hotel Globen and on Tuesday 22th September 2009 in Oslo, Radisson SAS BLU Hotel. Last show will be held in Copenhagen on Thursday 24th September 2009 in Radisson SAS Scandinavia.

Learn the latest trends, product news, network and ultimately secure your place by registering your details to winston.roberts@indivoglobal.com before September 15th 2009.

More information on the event in Stockholm:
http://tuukkailmakari.webs.com/Invitations/invitation_swe.html

More information on the event in Oslo:
http://tuukkailmakari.webs.com/Invitations/invitation_nor.html

More information on the event in Copenhagen:
http://tuukkailmakari.webs.com/Invitations/invitation_den.html

More information on Indivo Global Consultancy: www.indiviglobal.com

topwirenews.co

Reservations Open at Centara’s New Resort in Maldives

The Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives, has started to accept reservations in advance of its scheduled opening in November 2009.

The new beachside resort on the South Ari Atoll in the Maldives is offering ocean front suites from US$ 399 plus tax per room per night.

The resort, operated by Thailand-based Centara Hotels & Resorts, is designed in a colonial style with whitewashed timber buildings, meandering boardwalks and picket fences.

Spacious suites and villas located on the beachfront and over-water offer stylish accommodation for individual travellers, romantic couples and family fun groups.

Guests choosing the Island Club level of accommodation have access to the exclusive Club Lounge with its signature complimentary servings.

The resort has its own reef and a dedicated shipwreck that offers superb scuba diving and snorkelling for all ages and skills. There is also an oceanfront spa village that will help people relax with a myriad of treatments available.

asiatraveltips.com

Maldives wins achievement award from Emirates

The passenger sales operations of Emirates in the Maldives have been recognised for outstanding performance in 2008-09 with an Outstanding Achievements Award, presented at a recent regional conference of the award-winning Dubai-based airline.

Emirates’ District Manager Maldives Darrell Soertsz accepted the award from Richard Vaughan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Worldwide, accompanied by Chandana de Silva, Emirates Area Manager for Sri Lanka & Maldives. Majid Al Mualla, Emirates Vice President Commercial Operations – West Asia & Indian Ocean was also present.

Commenting on this accolade, Mr. de Silva said: “This award is particularly noteworthy because it recognises performance during a universally challenging period for the air travel industry. The Indian Subcontinent region is very competitive, and exceeding targets is no ordinary feat. I congratulate our team in Male for an inspiring performance.”

Revenue from passenger sales out of Male exceeded the station’s targets by nearly a third in 2008-09, in striking contrast to a general softening of demand for international travel during the year. “The Maldives remains a relatively buoyant market, and the station’s performance illustrates the potential of the destination,” said Darrell Soertsz, Emirates District Manager Maldives.

The winner of more than 400 major international awards Emirates operates 14 services a week from Male to Dubai and three services a week from Male to Colombo offering convenient connections to 99 destinations on six continents.

dailymirror.lk

Maldives and Seychelles romantic choices for newlyweds

The Maldives and Seychelles have been highlighted as popular destinations for newly married couples to take their honeymoon.

Francesca Moore, a spokeswoman for hitched.co.uk, noted that the Mediterranean is popular due to its beautiful beaches and favourable weather.

She said: "For a romantic honeymoon the Maldives and the Seychelles are still popular choices."

The travel expert also offered an advisory to those looking for a honeymoon deal, regarding booking travel insurance prior to departure.

"You want to be able to relax on your honeymoon, so doing things like changing money, checking on visas, and booking travel insurance should always be done before you travel," she added.

According to figures released recently by Hotels.com, 77 per cent of honeymooners are planning on a trip lasting less than two weeks, with budget (74 per cent) and work constraints (56 per cent) being listed as the top reasons for keeping the break short.

essentialtravel.co.uk

British Airways launching service to the Maldives, Sharm El Sheikh

British Airways on October 25 will launch new three-a-week flights from London Gatwick to both Male in the Maldives and Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. This will be the first time British Airways has flown to the Maldives, but will be a return to the Red Sea resort.

Flight schedules, ticket prices and complete holiday information may be obtained from local travel agents, by visiting British Airways website at www.ba.com or by calling the airline toll-free at 1-800-AIRWAYS.


examiner.com

Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort Opens 40 Island Cottages

The Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa has opened 40 Island Cottages.

“We believe the new category will provide our guests more options and of course a very warm and welcoming atmosphere,” said Brian Segrave, General Manager of Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa. “At Sheraton Maldives, our guests will find a truly home away from home accommodation whilst they are enjoying their once in a life time experience in the Maldives.”

The 40 Island Cottages at Sheraton Maldives are ideal for those wanting extra space and privacy.

Each stand-alone thatched cottage, features the comfortable Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed, an open-air tropical bathroom, vaulted ceilings for an even greater sense of space, a daybed for lounging as well as a private balcony with spectacular garden view.

The new Island Cottages are in addition to the 55 Beach-Front Cottages the hotel was already selling to travellers.

asiatraveltips.com

Travel Indochina launches Handmade Holidays India & the Maldives brochure and 2009/2010 programme

Travel Indochina, Australia-based Asian travel specialist, has launched its Handmade Holidays India & the Maldives brochure and 2009 / 2010 programme, featuring an expanded product range and a reduced pricing structure. The new brochure features a new look, improved location of maps and logistics information to help plan itineraries and an expanded product range with greater detail for agents.

According to a report in etravelblackboard, Paul Hole, Managing Director, Travel Indochina, said, “We have put significant effort into reducing pricing in cooperation with their India partners. We are pleased to announce that in addition to becoming increasingly accessible, India has also become even more affordable for Australian travellers.”
He said, “This year our Handmade Holidays suite includes ‘Footloose India’, an exciting new concept. It is perfect for the independent, adventurous travellers, who want a unique but flexible India experience.”

In Footloose India concept, Travel Indochina provides the travel basics like private air-conditioned transport and comfortable, no frills accommodation including daily breakfasts and travellers decide how to spend their days. Travellers have the freedom to decide which local sites they want to see and how much time they want to spend at each one. For sites for which they would like a guided tour, Travel Indochina offers a range of optional guided half and full day tours.

Accommodation ranges from comfortable family-run guest houses to more typical three-star hotels, all with private rooms, attached bathrooms and daily breakfast, some even with great extras like a pool.

Travel Indochina also offers an extensive portfolio of Goa products and three to five-star hotels in the Australian market.

hospitalitybizindia.com

Green Tax to be levied in Maldives next year – President

President Mohamed Nasheed has said that effective next year, each incoming tourist will be charged with US $ 30, as a “green tax”.

The President revealed this while addressing the businesses community in Male’ on Wednesday night at a function held at Muleeaage.

The President also revealed plans to introduce other taxes. This includes a new business profit tax on all enterprises earning above a certain threshold, an ad valorem-based tourist tax with effect in 2010 and a goods and services tax in 2011. He also spoke about amending the land law and charging a rent fee on an equal basis.

Providing vital and key important information on the status of the country’s economy and the government’s fiscal policies, the President said the favorable results of these taxes will be seen as early as next year.

“Even though we may consider facing these taxes as difficult, the benefits will of these tax reforms will bring prosperity and progress to the people” President said.

In his address, the President also highlighted the actions the government was taking to improve public financial management over the medium term.

In this regard, a single treasury account at the Maldives Monetary Authority has been introduced. The government was also completing the transition to a new Public Accounting System that will enhance budget execution, internal control, cash management, accounting and fiscal reporting.

The President also said that the government was in the process of establishing effective debt management units, accompanied by transparent procedures on borrowing, lending, and the provision of government guarantees.

In his address, the President said that he was confident that the overall result of the policy program would be fruitful and urged the people to give their support for the benefit of the whole nation.

miadhu.com.mv