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From the simplest of beginnings the Maldives has<br />
become possibly the most prestigious holiday<br />
destination in the world. How did it get there? The<br />
country’s natural assets have never changed but<br />
every new resort and almost every resort upgrade has<br />
incorporated the very latest Unique Selling Point and<br />
then pushed on to find another unique idea or level of<br />
luxury to distinguish themselves.<br />
It was 40 years ago this year that the first resort was<br />
built, against all the odds. A United Nations body had<br />
written in a report that tourism wasn’t worth pursuing in<br />
the Maldives because the obstacles were too big. There<br />
was no bank in the country, so no access to finance, there<br />
was no airport to speak of, there wasn’t even a telephone.<br />
Yet Kurumba manage to open in 1972 and Bandos a few<br />
months later.<br />
34<br />
Maldives<br />
Resort USPs<br />
by Adrian Nevielle<br />
The rooms were built of the best local<br />
materials available; there were coral<br />
walls, coconut wood beams and<br />
palm-thatched roofs. There was a<br />
bed, a wardrobe, a luggage rack and<br />
a dressing table. That’s all. Drinking<br />
water was from collected rainwater<br />
or a well. The meals were a repetition<br />
of tuna curry, rice, local fruit and<br />
vegetables and not very much else.<br />
As you fly to your destination today<br />
think back just 40 years to when the<br />
only way to get around was by sail<br />
dhoni. Think how long that would<br />
take to get to your destination. In the<br />
same year of 1972, the first engine<br />
was put into a dhoni, much to the<br />
distrust of the fishermen. It wasn’t<br />
until 1989 that helicopters came<br />
along and in late1993 that seaplanes<br />
made their appearance. By the way,<br />
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