Liveaboard Stories
“Maldives has the largest liveaboard fleet in Asia with more than 120 liveaboards”, says Ismail Hameed, President of the Liveaboard Association of Maldives (LAM). This is rather a huge progression for an industry that started soon after tourism was introduced to the country, by adapting simple fishing boats to accommodate and carry tourists who wanted to dive and cruise in the Maldives. Established in 1980, Voyages Maldives is one of the first liveaboard operators of the country, and the company’s CEO Aminath Salah describes the..
Coco Collection’s New PR Partners
In a move to increase brand presence across the globe, Coco Collection has announced new PR representations in the German speaking and Russian market through Schaffelhuber Communications, and in the Middle Eastern Region through Memac Ogilvy
Mohamed Waheed; A Diver’s Life
Mohamed Waheed, a smiling, swarthy man in his 60s, sits with a cup of coffee and begins to reveal how he got into the diving business. He hails from Haa Alif Haorafushi, and came to Male’ after completing his schooling on the island. “In those days we were taught in Dhivehi, we weren’t taught English,” he recalls. “You basically had to memorise lessons and recite them to your teacher.” He was fifteen when he came to Male’, and his arrival happened to coincide with Vihamanaafushi’s (now Kurumba) recruitment drive. There, he initially worked as a room boy. “The salary of a room boy at the time was 60 Rufiyaa,” Waheed says. “But then I caught the eye of one of the two owners of the resort, Kerafaa Ahmed Naseem, who told me to transfer to the engine room where I could get a considerable raise, to 160 Rufiyaa a month. That was how much a government secretary earned.”
Meerumuseum Opens
Meeru Island Resort & Spa has opened The meerumuseum on 3rd October. The resort’s staffs and guests attended the museum’s opening ceremony and the traditional dhoni-shaped building houses exhibits from centuries and decades back from a time when the Maldivian islands were completely untouched by tourism. The meerumuseum portrays the way of life, how the early local Maldivians cooked, dressed, travelled and schooled, and also portray how the islanders were completely self-sufficient in all aspects of daily life.
Mini-Sports Court at Hulhule Island Hotel
Right beside the jetty, an imposing multi-sports court has come up recently at Hulhule Island Hotel; recipient of a handful of national and international awards. Overlooking the ocean, it’s a perfect place to sweat with the setting sun adding a subtle charm to the entire place.
Indy Dodanwala
Indy Dodanwala, the present General Manager of Adaaran Prestige Vadoo found his calling in the hospitality industry after traveling half way across the world. He hails from Kandy, Sri Lanka and is a citizen of the United States of America. “I grew up in Sri Lanka,” he says. “I completed my high school there and left the country when I was 19 years old.” Young and possessing an adventurous spirit, he travelled around Canada for two years. “The Canadian Government had a programme at that time where they issued visitor visas,” he says.
Etihad Commences A330 flights
Etihad Airways,the national airline of the United Arab Emirates held an event to officiate the commencement of A330 to the Maldives on the 2nd of October 2014. The airline has successfully operated a return service with A320’s daily since November of 2011, from it’s home base in Abu Dhabi. The new wide bodied aircraft features 22 Pearl business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration and 240 Coral economy class seats in a 2-4-2 configuration.
Flyme – 3 Years Old
Flyme, a proudly Maldivian airline, started operation in October 2011 and has steadily grown to serve the Maldivian market – providing passengers a safe, comfortable, quality air-travel experience.
Sri-Lanka Hospitality Conference
Aptly titled ‘A New Era’, a Sri Lanka Hospitality Investment Conference was organized by Sphere Conferences of Singapore at the Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, from 25 – 26 August 2014.
BML records a double in profits
According to the company’s website, the Bank of Maldives has recorded a Net Profit of MVR 205 million for the third quarter of 2014 and this is an increase of 105% on the previous quarter. Commenting on the results, CEO and Managing Director Andrew Healy stated, “The Bank continues to move in the right direction across most key yardsticks. Financial performance is solid. During the quarter we demonstrated our commitment to step up financial inclusion as we launched point-of-sale cash withdrawal services in 9 islands which previously had no banking facilities – this figure will rise to 50 islands by year end.
‘The Butler Did It’ – Anantara & Naladhu
To meet the constantly evolving needs of discerning guests from across the globe, Anantara’s Maldives resorts and Naladhu Maldives recently put their team of Villa Hosts and House Masters through their paces with an intensive training course delivered by British-born Steven Ferry, Chairman of The International Institute of Modern Butlers. Anantara and Naladhu are already recognized for offering…
Baa Atoll Conservation Project
In 2011 Baa Atoll was recognized as a UNESCO biosphere reserve, a first for the Maldives. It was the result of many years of toil by the government, with the backing ..
