Participation at the Bahrain International Travel Expo (BITE), held at the Kingdom’s International Convention Centre, was the last of three events to be organised by the Maldives Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB). Following the successful conclusion of their participation at the Arabian Travel Market 2007 in Dubai, MTPB took eight resorts and destination management companies on a road show to Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. The companies involved were: Naiade Resorts, Villa Hotels, Island Holidays, Cross Asia Travel, AAA Hotels and Resorts, Sun Travels & Tours and Crown Tours.

Mohamed Adam, Deputy Director, Maldives Tourism Promotion Board commented. “From May onwards, consumers across the Gulf region are beginning to plan and book their summer holidays. So far, the visitor numbers to the Maldives from this region are small, however there is great potential. We are confident that our events in Qatar and Kuwait, as well as our participation at BITE, 2007 will have significantly improved destination awareness among resident expatriates and Gulf nationals.”

The Maldives Tourism Road Show started in Qatar on the 6th May, with a reception and dinner at the Movenpick Tower & Suites in Doha. More than 150 travel agents and tour operators were invited to a presentation on selling the Maldives to travellers from the Gulf Region. Emphasis was placed on the warm welcome that GCC nationals and resident expatriates will receive when visiting the islands. The Republic of the Maldives is an Islamic nation, providing Arab travellers with easy access to Mosques, even on the resorts islands

Mohamed Adam continued by saying “The flying time to the Maldives is around four hours from the Gulf region. With daily flights from a combination of airlines, the consumer has plenty of choice on how to get there.” Our aim at the road shows was to ensure that as many travel agents and tour operators as possible have the tools they need to be able to effectively promote our island resorts.” Mohamed Adam added “The Maldives is currently the ultimate getaway for those who are attracted by private islands, 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.”

Similar format was adopted for the event in Kuwait on the 7th May, where more than 100 travel agents and tour operators were invited to the Holiday Inn Downtown in Kuwait City. MTPB’s participation at the BITE 2007 was from the 8th to the 10th May and provided Maldives Tourism with an opportunity to show case the destination to visiting travel trade, meetings and incentives buyers as well as consumers from Bahrain and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Official attendance figures have yet to be confirmed however they were expected to be up on last year’s number of 16,800 visitors.

The Maldives Tourism Promotion Board has recently appointed Afkar Marketing Company W.L.L. as its PR & Marketing Agency for the Gulf Region. Mohamed Adam concluded by saying “Our focus now is to ensure that the travel trade in the GCC understands the Maldives product and how to sell it effectively to both expatriates and GCC nationals resident in the Gulf region”. He added “Our presence in the region will ensure that we actively promote the ongoing infrastructure developments in the Maldives and as new resorts are opened, we grow visitor numbers by working closely with our travel trade partners”. We are confident that our efforts over the past week will have taken us a step further to achieving this goal”

The Maldives Tourism Promotion Board’s presence at this year’s Arabian Travel Market in Dubai was its strongest ever. From the 1st to the 4th May, 2007 the Maldivian delegation profiled a wide range of products and services to the Gulf region’s travel trade. A total of 44 participants from the hospitality industry, representing some 24 companies, were on the stand to meet with tour operators, travel agencies and media.

The 2007 Arabian Travel Market confirmed record breaking attendance figures of more than 12,000 visitors during the first three days of the show which were focused on visiting travel trade. There was a significant growth in visitors from around the Gulf region, which reflects each country’s buoyant economy and the strong demand for outbound travel. The Maldives is a relatively new leisure destination for the Gulf Region and the Maldives Tourism Promotion Board is now placing greater emphasis on driving destination awareness across the Gulf Co-operative Council (GCC) countries of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

The Maldives is easily accessible from the Arabian Gulf with a short flight time of around four hours. With daily flights from a combination of airlines, the consumer choice continues to grow as more tour operators and travel agencies feature the destination. The Maldives is currently the ultimate getaway for those who are attracted by private islands, 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.

Travellers from the GCC account for a small part of the current total visitor numbers to the islands. However, with a high percentage of the population being Muslim and with no visa restrictions, the destination is preparing to attract many more visitors from the Gulf region. Dr Mahmood Shougee, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation for the Republic of the Maldives said “Over the past 30 years, tourism has played a vital role in the sustained development of the Maldives economy. Today we enjoy high hotel occupancy levels and this is set to continue. The low season of June, July and August is relatively short and this coincides with the high season for outbound travel from the GCC.” Dr Shougee added “Our short term strategy is to continue to encourage new business from the Gulf region, by placing greater emphasis on the development of strong relationships with the region’s travel trade. We need to give them the tools to effectively sell the destination.”

Today, the Maldives attracts visitors who want to enjoy the peace and tranquility of an island paradise. With luxury hotels and resorts, award-winning Spa’s and probably the best snorkeling and scuba diving in the world, the Maldives offers total relaxation. Currently, the islands attract more resident expatriates living in the Gulf region than GCC nationals. Dr Shougee commented “Our medium term strategy is to grow the business from the Gulf region by developing resorts which are focused on the preferences of Arab nationals.” “Today we attract Arab honeymooners and water sport enthusiasts, however we see the opportunity to develop family-focused resorts which are located on the inhabited islands, where GCC nationals can interact with the local Muslim community and enjoy many of the activities associated with town life”.

Investment in the tourism infrastructure of the Maldives continues to gather pace. Today there are many new projects underway and future foreign investment is being encouraged by the Maldivian Government. Dr Shougee concluded by saying “GCC real estate developers are currently transforming the face of the Gulf region. We will be sharing our vision for the future development of the Maldives with many of these organisations and offering them exciting investment opportunities here”. “We are confident that the marketing activities that are now being implementing in the region will ensure that there is a greater awareness of our beautiful islands, which will stimulate foreign investment and more inbound travel from both resident expatriates and GCC nationals.”

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For further information contact:

Mark Senior
Director
Afkar Marketing Company W.L.L.
Tel: +971 502977129
Tel: +973 39630801
e-mail: mark@afkarmarketing.com

The sublime ‘Rania Experience’ Private Residence in the Maldives, featuring barefoot luxury on a private tropical island complete with its own luxury yacht, has been voted one of the world’s most “scene-stealing” new hotels and resorts.

The exclusive castaway retreat which includes unlimited gourmet dining, drinking and spa treatments “raises pampering to a new level”, say the judges for Conde Nast Traveler’s annual ‘Hot List 2007’.

It was recommended as both the “ultimate romantic getaway” for affluent couples and as a peerless Maldivian retreat for groups of up to 15.

“The high price tag buys you all the creature comforts, including unlimited spa treatments, yoga on demand, fishing, and diving (Rania has its own dive instructor), as well as meals prepared by chefs who consult with you prior to arrival and serve up freshly-caught seafood,” says the prestigious travel magazine.

“Nights should be reserved for lychee martinis, which you can drink on a stool dug into the surf or for sailing in a dhoni under the stars. The most memorable care comes from the three butlers, who expertly anticipate every guest’s needs.”

Offered for a minimum of three nights, the ‘Rania Experience’ is a private island in Faafu Atoll, a picture postcard paradise of white sands and turquoise blue waters surrounded by a myriad of desert island atolls, 35-minutes by seaplane from Malé International Airport.

The ‘Rania Experience’ includes private use of ‘The Rania’, a luxury 86ft yacht with indoor and outdoor lounges and dining areas, Jacuzzi, air-conditioning and a full entertainment system including home-theatre.

Designed with barefoot luxury in mind, the island encompasses the lavish air-conditioned three bedroom Rania Suite overlooking a plunge pool and a stones throw away are three individual beach villas with thatched roofs and traditional Maldivian open-air style bathrooms.

Guests can enjoy unlimited pampering at The Rania Spa, offering Ayurvedic and other specialised treatments. Massages and treatments can be taken anywhere, from the beach at sunset to the privacy of their villa or aboard the yacht at the time preferred by the guests.

Gourmet dining is cooked and served anytime and anywhere, either on the island or aboard ‘The Rania’.

Blessed with some of the world’s most spectacular sunsets, a variety of cultural shows can also be arranged on request and at an additional charge, from a lively traditional Bodu Beru (local drums) dance to a laid-back local Maldivian band.

Additional amenities on the island include a small personal gym, state of the art karaoke system, billiards, beach volleyball and badminton, satellite TV, a selection of films and a host of board games.

The ‘Rania Experience’ is limited to just one exclusive booking at any one time, making the guest(s) “king of their own island” instead of just another guest at a resort.

For the 1st Quarter of 2007, the tourist arrivals to the Maldives, has increased by 15.9% with a total of 194,285 tourists. During the first quarter of 2006, the total number of tourist arrivals to the Maldives was 167,669.

Italy leads the market with a total 43,702 tourists capturing 22.5% share of the total arrivals to the Maldives. The Italian market increased by 5.2% during the first quarter of 2007 compared to the same period 2006. The United Kingdom is ranked the second generating market to the Maldives in 1st Quarter of 2007, capturing a market share of 17.3%. From January to March 2007 a total of 33,652 tourists visited the Maldives from the United Kingdom.

The other leading markets to the Maldives during the first quarter of 2007 include France with 10.0% market share, Germany with 9.8% market share, Japan with a market share of 4.9%, Russia with a 4.8% market share and China with 4.2% followed closely by Switzerland with a market share of 4.0%.

During the first quarter of 2007, a total of 89 resorts and 10 hotels with a total bed capacity of 18,611 were registered with the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. Out of these, 82 resorts and 10 hotels were in operation. The average number of beds in operation in resorts and hotels during the first quarter of 2007 was 17,398.

The total bed-nights of resorts and hotels during the first three months of 2007, was 1,508,305 with an average occupancy rate of 96.4%. The average duration of stay during this period was recorded to be 8.2 days.

Maldives has yet again won another prestigious award, the Daily Telegraph’s Ultratravel Award for Best Holiday Destination Worldwide.

The ULTRAs (Ultimate Luxury Travel Related Awards), celebrating the best in luxury travel across the globe, were announced at a ceremony held at InterContinental London Park Lane Hotel on 9th of May 2007. On behalf of the tourism industry of the Maldives the award was received by High Commissioner of Maldives to UK and Northern Ireland, His Excellency Mr Hassan Sobir.

Ultratravel magazine, published with the Daily Telegraph, was first launched in autumn 2004 and has a circulation of 500,000 readers.

The ULTRA awards were selected based on votes casted by the readers of the UltraTravel magazine over a period of more than 12 months. The ULTRAs consisted, in addition to best holiday destination, the best in airline, airport, tour operator, cruise company, spa, ski resort and hotel.

To win this award Maldives competed with popular destinations such as New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Thailand.

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For further information, please contact:
Vanessa Evans / Natalie Amos
McCluskey International - PR Representative for MTPB in UK
Tel: 0208 237 7979
Email: vanessa@mccluskey.co.uk / natalie@mccluskey.co.uk