Maldives showcased at World Travel Mart 2008

The Maldives Tourism Promotion Board and representatives from Maldives tourism industry participated in the World Travel Mart 2008 from 10 to 13th November 2008 at ExCel London. This is the biggest travel trade event held in the United Kingdom.

A total of 70 tourism related companies from Maldives participated in the fair of which 33 companies represented resorts and hotels in the Maldives. Also travel agencies selling resorts, hotels and live-aboards participated in this fair. The three day long fair attracted over 50,000 visitors. Visitors include press, media and travel trade. This year’s fair attracted 5500 exhibitors representing over 200 countries and regions.

This year, Maldives stand at WTM was re-designed to portray the dynamism of the tourism product developments in the destination Maldives.

UK is the major generating market for Maldives with 17.8% of the market share. Maldives welcomed 89,952 visitors from UK by the end of September 2008.

Source: www.visitmaldives.com

Maldivian commences flights to Lanka

Maldivian, the airline division of Island Aviation Services of the Maldives commenced its scheduled operations to Colombo.

This is the second international destination for the airline after Trivandrum.

Maldivian will initially operate five daily evening flights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Two types of aircraft, Bombardier Dash8 Q300 (50 seats) and Q200 (37 seats) will be utilised by Maldivian for operations to and from Colombo. These aircraft are owned by the company.

Free lounge facilities will also be offered to all passengers who travel on Maldivian.

They can avail themselves of the ‘Palm Strip Lounge’ in Colombo and the ‘Finifenmaa’ Lounge in Male. The airline also provides four connections within Maldives.

Managing Director of Maldivian, Bandhu Ibrahim Saleem said he was happy with commencement of the flights to Sri Lanka. “Given the vast tourist potential between our two countries, we foresee a booming business and great promise in this sector.” He said 8,000 Sri Lankans working there and over 2,000 Maldivian students here would use this airline.

Maldivian is represented in Sri Lanka by Hemas Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, the GSA for Maldivian since December 1. “Recession is the fine time to invest and we are doing it now,” Saleem said.

He said they are also looking at Chennai from 2010.

Head of Hemas Transportation Sector Imtiaz Esufally noted that the company has over a decade long relationship with Maldivian, and looked forward to supporting and growing with them, in the years to come.

“It’s always good for the economy when ever a new airline commences operations,” he added. “It augurs well for tourism as well,” he added.

The company’s core business activities include Domestic Air Services, Ground Handling, Cargo Services at Male International Airport, Operation of CIP lounge at Male International Airport, Engineering Services and Flight Operations.

Source: www.dailynews.lk

Maldives: The President meets with the Special Envoy of the Leader of Libya

President Mohamed Nasheed today met with Mr. Mohamed El Barrani, Secretary for Asian Affairs and the Special Envoy of Col. Maummaral-Gaddafi of Libya. The meeting was held at the President's Office.

At the meeting, the President expressed the strong wish to maintain and expand friendly relations and reinforce mutually beneficial cooperation between the Maldives and Libya.

Mr. Barrani congratulated President Nasheed on his assumption of office. Reciprocating the sentiments on bilateral relations Mr. Barrani extended an invitation to the President to make an official visit to Libya. He also commended the Maldives for the successful establishment of a modern liberal democracy in the country. Further Mr. Barrani noted that Libya too was working its way to bring democratic reform to the country, and said that Col. Gaddafi wished to share the experience of the Maldives.

The President accepted Mr. Barrani's invitation to make an official visit to Libya. He also said that it would be a great pleasure for the Maldives to assist Libya in its efforts to foster democratic reforms in that country.

Source: www.isria.info

Jennifer Ellison celebrates engagement in the Maldives

English actress Jennifer Ellison has been on cloud nine ever since she got engaged to her man Robbie Tickle.

Ellison, 25, was seen lapping up the sun in her white teeny bikini and looking happy as she showed off her sparkling new diamond ring in the Maldives.

The actress had earlier admitted that she wanted to marry 29-year-old Tickle, who she has been dating for seven months and he popped the question while they were there.

Jen is over the moon. Robbie hadnt told her he was going to propose, so when he did she was crying tears of joy she immediately said yes, News of the World quoted a source as saying.

You could tell that they were totally smitten. They were really sweet to watch, the source added.

Source: www.thaindian.com

Abu Dhabi plans new resort to resemble Maldives

Tourism authorities in Abu Dhabi have released details of a new and ambitious project that would transform eight islands into a major tourist centre in the style of the Maldives.

Located off the coast of Al Gharbia, Sir Bani Yas Island is the first to be developed, and will be opened for visiting tourists in 2009, in an attempt by the government to build tourism in this Middle Eastern country. The project will also involve the development of Dalma Island and the Discovery Islands, which were previously unexplored. Two of the Discovery Islands will be turned into Maldives-type resorts.

Sir Bani Yas Island was originally planned as a wildlife reserve that would help ensure the survival of some of the most endangered species of the region. It is a legacy of the late UAE President, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The Arabian Wildlife Park covers a large part of the island’s 50 square miles, and is home to 23 animal species, such as antelopes, giraffes, hyenas and the Arabian Oryx. There are also more than 60 species of migratory birds as well as dolphins, dugongs and sea lions.

The first resort to be built on the island, the Desert Islands Resort and Spa, is a 64-room Anantara resort that opened to guests in early November. Plans are in the works to construct five lodges and resorts, 500 luxury waterfront homes and a golf course.

Source: www.abudhabitourism.ae