At a proposed resort in the Maldives, brunettes will be as rare as a chilly day. Could this fair-haired retreat really be built?
In an effort to celebrate blondes — or to exploit stereotypes about them, depending on your point of view — one company plans to open a resort in the Maldives, the small island nation southwest of India, that will feature a staff made up entirely of fair-haired men and women. Olialia, a highly visible "mega-brand" in Lithuania, has told reporters it has found three suitable plots of land, and will move ahead with its plans to build its hotel — in the shape of a high-heeled shoe, naturally — by 2015. Will this resort really be more fun? A brief guide:
Why a blonde-only resort?
Because blonde "is light. It attracts people like sunshine," says Lauryna Anuseviciute, Olialia's 24-year-old brand manager (herself a former model), as quoted by the Associated Press. The company's managing director, Giedre Pukiene, echoes that sentiment: "Blondes are a great power that should not be underestimated."
Will brunettes really be banned?
Not exactly. Anuseviciute tells the AP that "Staff who are not blond will wear a blond wig to make everyone look similar. That will be part of their uniform." Even if the resort wanted to hire all-natural blondes, it would be hard-pressed to do so. Companies in the Maldives must employ at least 50 percent locals, and at least half of Maldivean women are brunettes.
What will the resort be like?
Once travelers disembark from Olialia Airlines — a special, blonde-staffed shuttle that will run from Lithuania to the Maldives — they will be privy to amenities common to tropical resorts. Olialia's development plans include 61 villas, several restaurants, a nightclub, a beauty salon and spa, a marina, a boardwalk, mall, helipad, and a center for "harmony and psychology." Of course, every building, according to the plans, must "comply with the spirit and the worldview of blondes." About 65 percent of the staff will be women.
Is this a joke?
The company behind it certainly isn't. Olialia, says Minivan News, is a "highly recognizable brand within Lithuania with a reported income of $10 million." The business fashions itself as the Eastern European version of Richard Branson's Virgin empire. And it has used a "troupe of glitzy models with platinum hair to market just about anything from potato chips to pop music."
What has the reaction been?
In Lithuania, "the small women's rights movement is cringing in disgust," says Liudas Dapkus of the Associated Press. But Anuseviciute insists this "is not discrimination" and draws this comparison: "If a ballet is casting for a male-only dance performance, is it discrimination against women when they only hire men?"
Will the resort really get built?
That remains unclear. For one thing, the Maldives' tourist board, which would be instrumental in approving the project, is completely unaware of it. For another, marine biologists warn that construction will lead to an environmental disaster. And even if Olialia overcomes those issues, it's an open question whether the Maldives, a politically conservative, Muslim nation, would be the right location for such an outré endeavor.
Source: http://theweek.com
Showing posts with label blonde only resort. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blonde only resort. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Blonde island resort raises eyebrows
THE jury is out on a Lithuanian company that plans to build a "fantasy resort" staffed only by blondes.
Olialia has created a business empire in Lithuania, using its troupe of glitzy models with platinum hair to market just about anything from potato chips to pop music. There's Olialia pizza and Olialia cola, even Olialia computers.
With the Maldives resort - and plans for an airline linking it to the Baltic republic - Olialia is taking its blond ambition to a new level.
"Blond is light. It attracts people like sunshine," the company's blonde, 24-year-old brand manager Lauryna Anuseviciute explained at the Olialia office in downtown Vilnius.
In Lithuania, where a big chunk of the population shares Ms Anuseviciute's light hair colour - naturally or aided by peroxide - such unabashed glorification of blonde beauty doesn't raise many eyebrows.
It remains to be seen how the Olialia concept will be received in the Maldives, a more ethnically diverse archipelago in the Indian Ocean, which requires foreign developers to hire at least 50 per cent local staff.
Maldives tourism officials said they had not received any details about Olialia's plans and had not yet issued any permits.
"We welcome any serious innovations and investment for discussions so long as it is backed by serious finance with a robust and realistic business plan," Simon Hawkins, director of the Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation, said.
He underlined "realistic." However, he didn't appear to see the blonde requirement as a major hurdle for employees from the Maldives, saying "perhaps they could work behind the scenes, or dye their hair?"
No need, Ms Anuseviciute says. "Staff who are not blonde will wear a blonde wig to make everyone look similar."
About 65 per cent of the staff will be women, she said.
The resort plans are still in their infancy - the tentative launch date is 2015 - but Ms Anuseviciute insisted Olialia already has secured financing for the project.
Back home, the small women's rights movement is cringing in disgust. Not only is the "blonde island" idea demeaning to women, but borderline racist, said Margarita Jankauskaite, director of the Lithuanian Centre for Equality Advancement.
"It is not discrimination," Ms Anuseviciute said.
"If a ballet is casting for a male-only dance performance, is it discrimination against women when they only hire men?"
Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au
Olialia has created a business empire in Lithuania, using its troupe of glitzy models with platinum hair to market just about anything from potato chips to pop music. There's Olialia pizza and Olialia cola, even Olialia computers.
With the Maldives resort - and plans for an airline linking it to the Baltic republic - Olialia is taking its blond ambition to a new level.
"Blond is light. It attracts people like sunshine," the company's blonde, 24-year-old brand manager Lauryna Anuseviciute explained at the Olialia office in downtown Vilnius.
In Lithuania, where a big chunk of the population shares Ms Anuseviciute's light hair colour - naturally or aided by peroxide - such unabashed glorification of blonde beauty doesn't raise many eyebrows.
It remains to be seen how the Olialia concept will be received in the Maldives, a more ethnically diverse archipelago in the Indian Ocean, which requires foreign developers to hire at least 50 per cent local staff.
Maldives tourism officials said they had not received any details about Olialia's plans and had not yet issued any permits.
"We welcome any serious innovations and investment for discussions so long as it is backed by serious finance with a robust and realistic business plan," Simon Hawkins, director of the Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation, said.
He underlined "realistic." However, he didn't appear to see the blonde requirement as a major hurdle for employees from the Maldives, saying "perhaps they could work behind the scenes, or dye their hair?"
No need, Ms Anuseviciute says. "Staff who are not blonde will wear a blonde wig to make everyone look similar."
About 65 per cent of the staff will be women, she said.
The resort plans are still in their infancy - the tentative launch date is 2015 - but Ms Anuseviciute insisted Olialia already has secured financing for the project.
Back home, the small women's rights movement is cringing in disgust. Not only is the "blonde island" idea demeaning to women, but borderline racist, said Margarita Jankauskaite, director of the Lithuanian Centre for Equality Advancement.
"It is not discrimination," Ms Anuseviciute said.
"If a ballet is casting for a male-only dance performance, is it discrimination against women when they only hire men?"
Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au
Blonde-Only Fantasy Resort Planned for Maldives
Lithuanian Company Says Hotel Will Be Staffed Exclusively By Blondes - Or Women Wearing Blonde Wigs
Empowering blondes or stereotyping them?
The jury is out on a Lithuanian company that plans to build a "fantasy resort" staffed only by blondes in the Maldives.
Olialia has used its troupe of fair-haired models in Lithuania to market just about anything from potato chips to pop music.
It's unclear how the concept will be received in the Maldives, which requires foreign developers to hire at least 50 percent local staff.
Brand manager Lauryna Anuseviciute says "staff who are not blond will wear a blond wig to make everyone look similar."
The resort plans are still in their infancy but Anuseviciute insists Olialia already has secured financing.
Maldives tourism officials say they haven't received any details about the resort and haven't issued any permits.
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com
Empowering blondes or stereotyping them?
The jury is out on a Lithuanian company that plans to build a "fantasy resort" staffed only by blondes in the Maldives.
Olialia has used its troupe of fair-haired models in Lithuania to market just about anything from potato chips to pop music.
It's unclear how the concept will be received in the Maldives, which requires foreign developers to hire at least 50 percent local staff.
Brand manager Lauryna Anuseviciute says "staff who are not blond will wear a blond wig to make everyone look similar."
The resort plans are still in their infancy but Anuseviciute insists Olialia already has secured financing.
Maldives tourism officials say they haven't received any details about the resort and haven't issued any permits.
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com
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