British tourists turn their back on the Maldives

There has been a sharp decline in the number of Britons visiting the Maldives, according to the islands’ minister for tourism.

Figures from July show a drop of 18.9 per cent compared with July 2007, part of an overall fall of 6.6 per cent in tourist numbers.

This is the largest slump since the aftermath of the tsunami in 2004, which killed at least 82 people in the Maldives and flooded the capital, Male. The decline has been blamed on construction delays, rising fuel surcharges and worldwide economic woes.

The Maldives, popular with honeymooners, usually attracts 100,000 Britons per year.

Abdulla Mausoom, the Maldives minister for tourism, said he was optimistic that the downturn would not last. He added that the number of Russian and Chinese visitors had increased by 63 and 24 per cent respectively over the past year. Last week, tour operator Kuoni named the Maldives as its second most popular destination, with bookings up 20 per cent on 2007.

Several new resorts have opened in 2008, with a further 63 resorts under construction. But a plan announced in June to lease another 31 islands for development will not go ahead, according to the ministry of finance.

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Alila Hotels and Resorts sets new Eco-Luxe Standards in the Maldives

Alila Hotels and Resorts is pleased to announce its first sustainable tourism resort development in the Maldives - Alila Villas Hadahaa. Slated to open in 2009, it is the first resort in the Maldives to commit to the standards of Green Globe throughout its design, construction stages. It achieved the prestigious Green Globe 'Building Planning and Design Standard' Certified Status in August 2008.

"By joining the internationally-recognized Green Globe program and committing to having both its design and operations certified, Alila Villas Hadahaa is raising the benchmark for others to follow," said Andre Russ, Head of Global Markets for Green Globe.

Green Globe is the international benchmarking and certification programme for the travel and tourism industry based on the Agenda 21 principles for Sustainable Development endorsed by 182 Heads of State at the United Nations Rio Earth Summit in 1992. Green Globe is managed by EC3 Global, a subsidiary of the Australian based research body Sustainable Tourism Co-operative Research Centre, the world's largest source of tourism research.

Alila Villas Hadahaa is set on the pristine tropical island of Hadahaa in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, surrounded by a vast expanse of sea, stunning coral reef, abundant fish life, and stands of the native Sea Trumpet and Sea Hearse. In developing the island, Alila kept to Green Globe's rigorous 'Building Planning and Design Standard' benchmarks and its own long-standing philosophy of luxury living in natural environments, while treading lightly to preserve the essence of a destination.

Reflecting Alila's vision of integrating commerce, conservation and community, the appointed architect, Yale-trained and Singapore-based Chan Soo Khian of SCDA Architects, creatively blended architecturally innovative designs in keeping to strict environmental standards. His design and construction blueprints were guided by Alila Villas Hadahaa's environmental impact studies.

Chan's sustainable design goals were to protect the environment and be as energy efficient as possible. To achieve these objectives, Chan orientated buildings to best deal with the tropical climate and natural environment of the island. Other innovations include rainwater harvesting, waste treatment plants, high roofed areas and open ceilings, cross ventilation in all indoor spaces, deep roof overhangs and windows shading. His concept of the resort, while contemporary in nature, makes use of many natural materials, including coconut, timber and coral stones found in the region.

Notably, the resort site will have a very low building and infrastructure coverage area. Only approximately 20% of the property will be built-up. Large areas of the site are designated for biodiversity protection, where native species will be selected and reintroduced to help maintain the existing gene pool. This will result in biodiversity replenishment, something vital to the area.

The $40 million resort will feature 14 Aqua Villas and 36 Island Villas, 20 of which come with a private pool. In-resort facilities and services include the Leisure Concierge, a dive centre, a tropical island garden spa, a fully-equipped gym, a Maldivian specialty fine dining restaurant, a rooftop lounge, the Alila Living boutique and a library with a star-gazing roof. All resort villas and facilities, strongly accented with Maldivian culture, are designed to integrate into the site as carefully as possible to preserve the natural beauty of the destination.

Sustainably planned and designed from the ground up, great care is now being taken in every detail of the construction of the resort to preserve the unique Maldivian experience and to ensure that environmental footprints are kept to a minimum. A local civil, building and labor contractor who is undertaking the major construction works will source construction materials locally wherever possible. Specifically, all building works of the jetty and Aqua Villas will only be carried out only during extreme low tides to minimize silt disturbance. There will be minimal site clearance as well, and to date, several villas were re-positioned during construction to preserve existing trees.

"I applaud Alila Villas Hadahaa for their commitment to a long term sustainable future with Green Globe and we take this opportunity to congratulate all those involved for their dedication and hard work," said Stewart Moore, Chief Executive Officer of EC3 Global.

By this commitment, Alila Villas Hadahaa is taking a leading role in helping to address the issues surrounding climate change and sustainability. It takes on a social responsibility beyond the design and construction stages to progressive operations. It will continuously monitor and assess the resort's operational efficiency, ultimately achieving the Green Globe Company Standard. Alila intends to bring the Maldivian destination experience to an unparalleled level.

Alila Villas Hadahaa represents Alila's next generation of luxury villa resorts that blend the ultimate in luxury with innovative lifestyle. Designed in harmony with its environment, Alila Villas are selectively developed to grace some of the most spectacular destinations in the world. Alila Hotels and Resorts is currently developing Alila Villas in Bali, India, Vietnam, Indochina, Oman and the Gulf regions.

Alila Hotels and Resorts currently manages seven hotels and resorts in Bali, Jakarta, Laos, Thailand and the Philippines. Many of these properties, including Alila Ubud and Alila Manggis, are well-known for their contributions to environmentally sustainable tourism. Both Alila Ubud and Alila Manggis achieved the Green Globe Certified Status in May 2007 and were conferred the inaugural Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards in November 2006 for their efforts and support towards responsible tourism in Asia.

Source: www.traveldailynews.com

Maldives drops charges against opposition leader

The Maldivian government on Thursday said it had dropped terrorism charges against one of the top contenders in the archipelago's first-ever multi-party presidential elections, due by early next month.

The charges against Mohamed Nasheed, one of the longest-standing opposition critics of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, were criticised by rights groups as politically motivated when they were instituted more than three years ago.

"We have requested withdrawal from the courts and to drop the charges," Hussein Shameem, deputy director at the attorney general's office, said. "There doesn't seem to be enough evidence to convict for those charges."

Gayoom, Asia's longest-serving leader after 30 years in power, is up for re-election to a seventh term at the vote due before Oct. 10. Election officials have yet to give a date.

It is seen as the biggest test of his pledge to bring democratic reform to the idyllic chain of more than 1,200 islands located off the tip of India, known worldwide more for luxury beach vacations than political intrigue.

Gayoom initiated a raft of reforms after facing international criticism for a heavy-handed crackdown on 2004 protests demanding his resignation and constitutional changes.

Nasheed, a longtime Gayoom critic and then head of the leading opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), was at the centre of those.

The government jailed him in August 2005 and accused him of telling a political rally that Gayoom should be violently deposed. He had faced up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Nasheed, who was released in September 2006, has always denied the charges and remained defiant.

"There was never anything to the charge. There is never anything to it. It was always understood to be politically motivated as with 26 other charges brought against me over the past 30 years," Nasheed told Reuters.

Nasheed's MDP is the largest opposition party, but the second-largest in parliament after several defections to the new Republican Party led by former finance minister Gasim Ibrahim.

Ibrahim, Nasheed, Gayoom and former attorney general Hassan Saeed and are tipped as the top contenders among eight in the race to lead the nation of 300,000 mostly Sunni Muslims. (Writing by Bryson Hull; Editing by Bill Tarrant))

Source:By Olivia Lang (Reuters)

Ishmeet's family leaves for Maldives

The bereaved family members of Ishmeet Singh, winner of Voice of India reality show, are alleging foul play in their son's death. His father Gurpinder Singh and uncle Charan Kamal Singh, a pathologist, are leaving on Wednesday to the Maldives to conduct a personal investigation.

Ishmeet, 19, died mysteriously in a swimming pool at a beach resort in Maldives July 29. He was there for an event.

Kamal Singh revealed that ADK hospital in Maldives where Ishmeet was taken from the resort said in its report that "drowning seems to be a secondary cause of death" in Ishmeet's case.

"If drowning was supposedly a secondary cause, then we would like to know the primary cause of his death," said Kamal Singh.

The late singer's family has been urging the central and the Punjab governments to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into his death. They are now heading to the Maldives on their own Wednesday to find the facts.

His family says the post-mortem and forensic laboratory reports state the reason of his death was drowning, but his body had severe injury marks on the forehead and temple.

"We want a proper enquiry from CBI. We are not against anyone nor are we pinpointing someone. Our visit to Maldives is in the knowledge of the Punjab chief minister, the prime minister and the Maldives government. We just want to know the reason for the injuries on Ishmeet's head," said Gurpinder Singh.

"If the investigation results are able to convince us about the injury, we will quit the matter then and there but till then we are not sitting quietly," added a bleary-eyed Gurpinder Singh.

Explaining the severity of injuries suffered by Ishmeet, Kamal Singh said: "The injuries on his head are being downplayed. Ishmeet suffered a hematoma that is a blood-filled cavity on the temple and a linear cut on the forehead. We are ready to believe that he died due to drowning as per the lab reports, but we just want to know the reason behind the injuries."

Kamal Singh also informed that Ishmeet suffered a blood flow out of his nose and mouth during drowning, which is not normal in drowning cases.

"When I contacted the pathologist, who conducted the post mortem in Ludhiana to find out about the same, we were told that the air sacs in his lungs burst so there was a blood flow out of the two possible outlets - nose and mouth.

"According to medical science, when a person drowns, his alveoi (air sacs or cavities) in the lungs get filled with water and expand and burst but do not allow any outlet for blood from either the nose or the mouth as the person dies of suffocation," he explained.

Source: music.ndtv.com

Maldives resort debuts “Underwater Nature Trail”

Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives, opening in the fourth quarter of 2008 in the Addu Atoll, will feature the first “Underwater Nature Trail” in the Maldives, as well as a snorkelling garden “seascaped” with transplanted corals. As part of the resort’s marine initiatives, guests will also be invited to help track some of the archipelago’s largest manta rays found in the Addu Atoll waters.

The Underwater Nature Trail, designed by the resort’s marine specialist, will lead out to the resort’s house reef on the northern end of Villingili Island. Submerged signage will identify resident marine life along the way, including branching corals, sea anemones, Maldives anemonefish, clams, moray eels and the colourful juvenile Oriental Sweetlips. The marine specialist has also created snorkel gardens close to the southwest shoreline of the resort. In addition to offering a marine adventure for less experienced swimmers, the shallow-water snorkel gardens will provide a nursery for corals and reef fish.

Experienced divers will be invited to participate in the tracking of manta rays. Addu Atoll is one of the few places in the Maldives where giant manta rays with wingspans of more than five metres can be found year-round. Divers will be encouraged to photograph manta rays and contribute to the photo database that will be shared with other such centres around the world to help monitor the movement and population of these sea creatures. The resort will also set up a programme to educate and encourage guests to sponsor the satellite tagging of sea turtles and support organisations working on conservation on a larger scale.

This will be the first resort in the Maldives to offer nature trails – both above and below water. With lush vegetation providing the backdrop for trails through the coconut trees and ancient Banyan trees on the three-kilometre-long island, guests will be able to enjoy all the natural wonders of Villingili Island, on land and sea.

Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives is the first luxury resort in Addu Atoll. The resort, which is currently under development, will feature 142 villas with views of the ocean or the island’s natural lush vegetation. The Maldives’ second international airport, Gan International Airport, is an eight-minute boat ride away from the resort and Male International Airport is 70 minutes by air.

Source: www.easier.com