Caribbean and Indian Ocean case studies to be presented at AHIC

Dubai — How to brand an island to appeal to the global tourist, and the secrets of attracting international capital are among the topics covered by a special session on Emerging Island Destinations at the Arab Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), being held in Dubai between April 29 and May 1.

Three tourism ministers – the Hon Samia Hassan from Zanzibar, the Hon Noel Lynch from Barbados and Dr Mahmood Shaugee from the Maldives - will take to the stage to debate issues of island marketing. Robert Riley, the new CEO of Armani Hotels & Resorts, will moderate the panel discussion, and they will be joined by Hamza Mustafa, general manager of Nakheel’s Dubai island development, The World.

The Maldives will be highlighted as a case study, differentiating between the mass market and high-end approach to development. The Hon Michael Misick, chief minister from the Turks and Caicos Islands, will speak on the challenges of establishing a name and a brand within the umbrella branding of the Caribbean.

According to organiser Jonathan Worsley, the interesting issue to be raised on this session will be why investors should invest in The Maldives, Barbados, Turks & Caicos or The World. There will be lessons for regional destinations to be learnt, particularly in distinguishing brands that are essentially offering a similar product.

He said: “To many travellers from overseas, the Middle East is the big brand, the Gulf might be a product but individual destinations such as Bahrain, Qatar, Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat or Salalah need to be clearly defined to woo and capture the right audience.”

The Arabian Hotel Investment Conference will run from April 29 - May 1, 2006 at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah conference centre. The conference is organised by Jonathan Worsley, Managing Director of International Hospitality Services and MEED Conferences. Details of AHIC can be found on www.arabianconference.com.

The first ten islands under the Government’s plans to release 35 new islands for tourist resort development has been announced today. This was announced by the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Dr. Mahmood Shaugee at a ceremony held at Nasandhura Palace Hotel in Malé. During his speech, Dr. Shaugee highlighted the potential for development of more tourist beds in the country. “…and with the increase in the world tourism and the popularity Maldives is gaining in the generating markets, we have to keep pace with increasing demand to keep our market share in the industry” Dr. Shaugee said.

The new 35 islands consist of 20 islands to be placed on bid and 15 islands to be awarded to a proposed public company for tourism development.

This first round includes two types of bids: lease-Rent Controlled Bids and lease-Rent Open Bids.

Lease-Rent Controlled Bids:

In this type of bids, the highest rent that can be proposed per bed per year is fixed. This is meant to facilitate medium-priced resorts to enter the market over the next one to two years. Controlling the lease-rent at a reasonable level, is meant to help lighten the burden of raising investment finance and ensure smooth completion of the project. The total lease period is 25 years and the rent after the tenth year will be determined based on the prevailing average lease rent rate in the Maldives tourism sector at that time.

Lease-Rent Open Bids:

In this type of bids, the islands will be awarded to the bidder who proposes the highest rent for the first 10-year period. This bid is targeted at islands with smaller bed-capacity and is meant to provide the opportunity for bidders who may want to win a price competitive bid and develop innovative and luxury products. The total lease period is of the islands is 25 years and the rent after the tenth year will be determined based on the prevailing average lease rent rate in the Maldives tourism sector.

The bidding of these islands is based on the need to meet current and projected bed-capacity needs in the Maldives. The total bed-capacity of the 35 new islands, together with the islands awarded for resort development in 2005, is expected to add 7000 new beds over the next five years.

Source: Maldives Tourism Promotion Board

New Delhi, 17 April. India and Maldives have decided to develop “a privileged partnership” between the two countries.

Addressing a joint press conference with the Maldivian Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmad Shaheed in Male a short while before departing for home at the end of his two-day visit to the Island country yesterday, the Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that India would like “to maintain and consolidate its close links and trust with Maldives and to be of assistance, wherever and whenever we can, with our friends”.

Describing Maldives as an important member and partner of the Indian Ocean Region,Mukherjee said that India’s mutually beneficial relationship with the Republic of Maldives will not only secure its vital interests in the region, but also reinvigorate our ties with a key member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). He reiterated New Delhi’s desire to strengthen relations with Maldives “on the basis of equality and respect so as to elevate them to an ever high level”.

Earlier, in the day, India handed over the INS Tillanchang to the Maldives National Security Service Coast Guard at an impressive ceremony held in the port city of Male – the capital of Maldives. With a gentle breeze blowing from the Indian Ocean, on an otherwise sultry morning, the Indian ensign was hauled down for the last time from INS Tillanchang. The Indian crew disembarked from the ship and the Maldivian crew took charge.

The Maldivian National flag was hauled up and the ship was rechristened “Huravee” after a Maldivian hero and a freedom fighter. A galaxy of dignitaries of Maldives including the President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Minister of Defence and National Security Mr Ismail Shaifeeu, Foreign Minister Dr Ahmad Shaheed attend the ceremony.

The Indian side was led by the Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee. Others who attended the function included the Indian High Commissioner Shri AK Pande, Chairman and Managing Director of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Rear Admiral TS Ganeshan, senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and Indian Navy. Speaking on the occasion Shri Mukherjee described the event as a “truly landmark and historic one” and announced that the Indian Navy will assist the National Security Service in the maintenance and up keep of this patrol craft during her lifetime.

Named after one of the islands of the Andaman and Nicobar chain, the INS Tillanchang, built by Defence Public Sector Undertaking, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata was inducted into the Indian Navy five years ago. The 260 tonne Trinkat class fast attack craft INS Tillanchang is fitted with state-of-the-art navigation aids, communication and GMDSS Systems, which facilitate her role-worthiness and effectiveness in operational missions, air operations, safe navigation and survival at sea. The main armament is the indigenous 30 mm gun, manufactured by Ordnance factory Medak. Two high speed boats have been provided onboard for facilitating rapid interception in shallow waters and lifesaving tasks. Powered by MTU engines of German make it has a maximum speeds of 28 knots and is capable of extended deployment up to 2000 nautical miles. The ship is also capable of mobilizing a naval Quick Reaction Team of up to 35 men at short notice.

The ship will primarily be used for patrolling, policing and search and rescue missions in the vast areas of sea around Maldivian chain of islands, considerably enhancing their capability against illegal poaching and drug trafficking.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of Defence and National Security of Maldives Mr. Ismail Shaifeeu lauded the role of Indian government in dispatching ships with relief supplies with “promptness and alacrity” to provide immediate succour to the affected people in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami in December 2004. ‘The role of the Indian Government in launching Operation Cactus in December 1988 was a defining moment in the relationship between the two countries and a landmark event in the history of their nation’, he said.

Later in the day, Mukherjee called on the President of Maldives and held high level interactions with the Defence and Foreign Minister of Maldives.

Maldives Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) and representatives from the Tourism Industry participated in the Marine Diving Fair held in Japan, Tokyo from 7-9 April 2006. The Deputy Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation of Maldives, Mr. Abdul Hameed Zakariyya officially inaugurated this event. Over 30 participants represented Maldives tourism during in this fair.

Maldives received some prestigious Dive & Travel Awards at the Marine Diving Fair. These include three awards representing the Maldives as destination and five awards won by two resorts in the Maldives. As a destination, the Maldives won “Best Resort Area – Overseas”, “Best Dreaming Area” and “Best Diving Area”. Coco Palm Dunikolhu won “Best Resort hotel Overseas”, “Best over water bungalows”, “Best Beach” and “Best Snorkelling (Second Place)”. Olhuveli Beach & Spa won an award in the best beach category.

The travel trade and consumers with specific interests in diving visited this fair. The fair organiser, the Marine Art Centre of Japan, estimated that nearly 50,000 people would visit this fair.

Maldives Tourism Promotion Board and its Public Relations representative (JTB Corp) in Japan also organised a seminar on “Maldives Tourism Product” on 10 April 2006. The invitees for this seminar included tour operators, travel agents and land operators from Japan and Travel trade from the Maldives.

Japan remains the number one market from Asia and hold fifth position overall to the destination. Japanese visitors shared 4.7% of the tourist arrivals to the Maldives by March 2006.

Singapore Airlines has been awarded the prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association’s Grand Award in the Marketing category for its Singapore Airlines Recovery initiatives – Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bali; and for the second year running, the Gold Award in the Marketing, Carrier (International-Air) category for the Singapore Airlines Boarding Pass Privileges Programme 2006.

Following the tsunami in December 2004, Singapore Airlines acted quickly in initiating an extensive tourism recovery programme in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The Airline worked with the respective national tourism organizations and leading hotels to revive travel to these two countries. Singapore Airlines flew travel agents and journalists from different parts of the world to the tsunami stricken countries in order to show them the natural beauty of the resorts in countries like the Maldives and restore confidence in travel to these destinations.

Readers of publications in Indonesia, Ireland, Germany and China have also given accolades to the Airline. Readers of DestinAsian, a leading luxury travel and lifestyle magazine based in Jakarta, have voted Singapore Airlines as the Best Airline in its Readers’ Choice Awards. The Airline also secured top place in the Best First Class, Best Business Class, Best Economy Class, Best Inflight Entertainment and Best Frequent Flyer Programme categories.

Readers of Business Traveller Germany have also rated Singapore Airlines the Best Airline to Asia and Asia Pacific (Overall), Best Airline for Cabin Crew, Best Airline for Service on the Ground, Best Airline for Cabin Appearance, and Best Airline for Catering. Similarly, the Irish Travel Trade News named the Airline the Best Airline to Asia and Australasia while the Dutch Travel News awarded Singapore Airlines the Best Long Haul Carrier in 2005 title.