The award winning resort, the Hilton Maldives Resort and Spa, is to be re-branded as a Conrad, the Hilton group’s luxury hotel brand. The resort will be renamed the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, effective December 2007.

Koos Klein, president of Hilton Hotels - Middle East and Asia Pacific, commented, “This decision reaffirms the premium positioning of the Hilton Maldives Resort and Spa, which has been internationally renowned for its combination of innovative world firsts such as Ithaa, its underwater restaurant, and the resort’s consistently high luxury standards.”

Following re-branding, the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island will offer an increased range of amenities, while still providing the high-quality service for which it is recognized. There will be no disruption to guests during the re-branding process.

Richard Blamey, senior vice president - Conrad Hotels Brand Management, said, “Conrad’s brand promise, ‘The Luxury of Being Yourself’, celebrates the individuality of its guests and the exclusive experience provided by each of our hotels. With its investment throughout time in luxury-oriented services and product, the Hilton Maldives Resort and Spa is an ideal match and will be an outstanding addition to the growing Conrad portfolio. We look forward to building on the exceptional success of this world-class resort.”

Hilton also recently signed an agreement to introduce a luxury Conrad Resort and Spa in Koh Samui, Thailand, in 2009.

Trip Advisor, the well-regarded independent travel Web site, has named the Hilton Maldives as its best luxury hotel in the world for 2007. The unique resort, located about 300 miles from the southern tip of India, is also an excellent and private honeymoon destination, with private over-water bungalow, secluded white sand beaches, and spectacular ocean vistas in every direction.

The Hilton Maldives is set on two islands and is reached via a half-hour flight from the Maldives‘ capital city, Male. (Male – pronounced mah-lee – is accessible via connections from major European airports, including London’s Heathrow airport.) The accommodations here are private, overwater bungalows, connected to the shore via cedar plank walkways. These thatched units boast luxury amenities, such as a round, rotating bed with water views from three sides; air-conditioning; a flat-screen TV; a Bose stereo system; a kitchenette; a full living room with a glass-bottom floor; and a round, ocean-view Jacuzzi tub for two. Did I mention the view?

Features of the Hilton Maldives Resort include the world’s first underwater restaurant, Ithaa, a full spa, a fitness room, tennis courts, a boutique and jewelry store, and miles of pristine, white powdery sand beach.

Rates at the Hilton Maldives Resort start at $500 per night. See the hotel’s Web site (http://www1.hilton.com/) for more information.

Note: the Hilton Maldives Resort is changing its name to the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort in December of 2007. Conrad is the premium brand of the Hilton hotel chain.

Naladhu, Maldives, has been named one of the world’s hottest new resorts by Conde Nast Traveler in the 2007 “Hot List”. The list, featured in the May edition, comprises 138 hotels, and Naladhu, Maldives is the one of the “Hottest” new properties worldwide.

The Conde Nast Traveler Hot List recognizes hotels and resorts for design, service and ambiance, making it one of the most coveted designations. Each year, an anonymous group of writers evaluates new hotels and resorts around the world for the publication. Naladhu was chosen as one of only 138 properties whose offering surpass expectations. Of the chosen properties, each is awarded a “Hot”, “Hotter” or “Hottest” title, Naladhu, Maldives claimed the position as “Hottest” in the magazine’s listing.

In describing Naladhu, Conde Nast Traveler says “this intimate resort provides a level of privacy and personal attention impressive even in the Maldives”. In addition “Dedicated butlers, or VGCs (Very Good Chaps), exceed expectations with quiet, smiling service”.

The magazine concluded “Naladhu represents the Maldives’ most convenient exclusive destination yet”.

Located in the aquatic setting of the Maldives, one of the world’s most celebrated tropical havens, Naladhu Maldives offers a unique lifestyle to those who appreciate the sophistication and charm of times past.

Naladhu has captured the elegant aesthetics of a slightly colonial era, with hints of Sri Lankan regality in its design. However, the resort also proffers every modern convenience imaginable to the luxury traveller. Naladhu means “pretty little island”, and each of the exclusive 19 Houses – each named after a Maldivian plant - has been designed to make every guest’s wish become reality.

With a commitment to perfecting every detail, Naladhu fuses modern facilities with a sense of the nostalgia. White-washed timber wall panels juxtapose the zesty Indian motifs and colours of the house upholstery. Antique furnishings, such as an early 20th century writer’s desk and the decorous bar cabinet conjure up images of a romantic, bygone age.

Naladhu provides the canvass and colour palette to those who wish to make their holiday picture perfect.

China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited, an airline based in Shanghai, will operate Shanghai-Maldives-Johannesburg flights starting from April 27, as it further expands its international network. The carrier will operate four flights per week on the route using Airbus A340-300 aircraft.

China Eastern is a major Chinese airline operating international, domestic and regional routes. Its main bases are Shanghai Hongqiao Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

This airline will open up the door for Chinese and eastern tourists to travel easily to Maldives and as well as traffic from South Africa.

Chinese outbound travel is based on a system called Approved Destination Status (ADS). According to this system, Chinese nationals can travel to ADS countries only. The Maldives became an ADS country at the end of 2002.

There has been a tremendous growth in the Chinese market for the past four years to Maldives, partly, due to the Approved Destination Status (ADS) and also the new found freedom for Chinese citizens to travel. After the Maldives became an ADS country, the arrivals from China increased tremendously.

However, in 2004 arrivals dropped tremendously compared to the projections for 2005. But in 2006 there was an unprecedented growth of 127 percent in comparison to 2005. Chinese tourists now account for 4.4 percent of total tourist arrivals to Maldives.

China Eastern’s local operation agent in the Maldives is Inner Maldives Holidays, one of the premier brands in the travel and tourism industry in Maldives.

For more information please contact:
Abdulla Ghiyas, Deputy Managing Director or
Ali Nifaz, Operations Manager
Inner Maldives Holidays
Tel: (960) 3326309.
END

Yacht Tours Maldives Pvt Ltd is to develop Kuda Rah island in South Ari atoll into a five-star resort.

The company’s chairman Mr. Abdulla Jabir says that Yacht Tours has been able to secure an Rf100 million (about US$7.7 million) loan from Pakistan’s Habib Bank branch in Maldives. The loan has to be repaid over a period of five years.

Yacht Tours plans to expand the resort’s bed capacity from 60 to 100 when it becomes operational in December, according to Jabir. The island is located in one of the most established tourism zones in the Maldives archipelago.

Yacht Tours was established in 1995 and is focused on the development and exploration of tourism-related business.

“Yacht Tours Maldives aims to take the Maldivian tourism product into a further dimension, adding excitement and new directions to create greater demand and customer satisfaction through innovative concepts with local expertise and creative services,” the company says on its website.