The Maldives showcases its stunning island resorts at the 2008 Brides Show in Abu Dhabi.

The Maldives Tourism Promotion Board together with the Maldives tourism industry participated in The Brides Show held in Abu Dhabi from 5-8th February. Exhibiting for the first time at a consumer exhibition in the Gulf region, the Maldives Tourism Promotion Board showcased a range of beautiful island resorts which will appeal to both GCC nationals and expatriate residents living in the region.

Already popular with honeymooners from all over the World, the Maldives attracts visitors who are in search of peace and tranquillity in an island paradise setting. With luxury hotels and resorts, award-winning Spa’s and probably the best snorkelling, fishing and scuba diving in the world, the Maldives offers a unique, unforgettable experience to the visitors.

The Maldives is a relatively new leisure destination for the Gulf Region and it is now placing greater emphasis on driving destination awareness. Maldives is easily accessible from the Arabian Gulf with a short flight time of around four hours, with daily flights from Emirates, Qatar Airways and Sri Lankan Airlines, as well as twice-weekly flights from low cost airline Jazeera Airways.

The Maldives is currently the ultimate getaway for those who are attracted by resort style islands with plenty of privacy, stunning beaches and crystal clear waters. The Maldives provides the perfect backdrop for a relaxing, rejuvenating holiday, which is a welcome contrast to the frantic pace of life in the Arabian Gulf.

Naagoashi, Haa Dhaalu Atoll

Naagoashi Island in Haa Dhaalu Atoll is located in the Northern regions of Maldives. The Island is 2550 meters long in length with white sandy beaches and has a large land area of 50 Hectares. The island is situated 283 km from Hulhule’ International Airport. It takes around 45 minutes to the Hanimaadhoo Regional Airport in Haa Dhaalu Atoll and from there it is 32.1km distance to the resort.

MTDC will develop this resort in partnership with Threek International Private Limited an International Company from Russia. The Sublease Agreement was signed in December 2007. The Island will operate as a 600 bed tourist resort and is expected to start its operations by September 2009.

International hotel brand enters in Maldives in late 2008

Male, the capital island of Maldives, is gearing up to welcome the entry of a long-awaited international hotel brand, to meet a market need among seasoned business travellers, airline crew and stopover visitors seeking high standards of comfort and service.

The new-build Holiday Inn Male marks the entry of InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) first hotel in Maldives. The property will be developed by Male Hotel Associates Sourcing Limited. Following the recent successful procurement of
financing by the local partners, construction of the hotel is expected to begin by 2nd quarter of this year, and operations scheduled to commence by late 2008.

IHG which will be managing the hotel as a non-equity partner, has teamed up with partners from Male Hotel Associates Sourcing Limited, led by Abdul Sattar Ali and Lawrence Lee.

Ali, a Maldivian, is the Founding Partner and Director of one of Maldives largest and fastest growing graphic design, advertising and publishing firms. He is also Director and majority shareholder of Aribeach Resort on Ari Atoll. Lee, an industry veteran who has played key roles in a number of successful hospitality property acquisitions, is also the former owner of award-winning White Sands Resort & Spa.

According to the Maldive Tourism Promotion Board, the well-timed entry of the Holiday Inn brand into Male coincides with the robust growth of Maldives’ vibrant tourism industry. The archipelago is experiencing a development boom with 35 new islands released for tourism at an estimated budget of US$600 million.

2007 has been a record year for the tourist arrivals

With a total of 675,889 tourists, it has been recorded that 2007 had been a record year for tourist arrivals in the Maldives. It was projected that the arrivals would be 8.5% higher than the previous year; however, tourist arrivals exceeded the projection by 3.8% resulting in a 12.3% increase from the previous year.

The monthly arrivals figures are as follows: January (64,570), February (65,224), March (64,491), April (63,171), May (46,602), June (38,457), July (51,025), August (53,168), September (48,468), October (58,706), November (56,797), and December (65,210).

With 125,158 tourist arrivals, United Kingdom ranked top among the source markets, followed by Italy with a total of 117,246 tourists. Third highest ranked was Germany with 72,269 tourists followed by France, Japan and China with a total of 45,301, 41,121 and 35,976 tourists respectively.

The total bed nights for the end of 2007 were 5,293,224, and this is an increase of 9.7% than the previous year. The occupancy recorded for resorts/hotels for the year 2007 was 82.9%. An average of 17,511 beds had been operated throughout last year. The average stay of a tourist has increased to 8.5 days for 2007 from 8.0 days in 2006.