34 SPECIAL DOSSIER:
34 SPECIAL DOSSIER: MALDIVES (Desti)nation Kandima: More than Just a Resort New island destination pitches itself as first “lifestyle” resort in the Maldives Based on the values of the umbrella Pulse Hotels and Resorts brand - smart, playful, rooted, responsible, human - the new Kandima Maldives is making a splash. Mohamed Khaleel, managing director of Kandima Maldives, tells ITB News Berlin about the island resort’s points of difference in a crowded Maldives market, in addition to its successful first year of operation. Kandima is a vibrant and very large resort. So big in fact that we don’t call it a resort, we call it an island (desti)nation. With 273 studios and villas, ten restaurants and bars, a watersports centre, a unique Kids Club, our huge Beach Club, a Marine Biology Centre and even an art and photography studio, it was always going to be a big, challenging project. But we’ve now finally opened the doors to the world, and I’m extremely happy with the market reaction so far. It’s been an exciting journey to bring this concept to life, and as promised, our guests are getting an #AnythingButOrdinary Kandima experience as we speak. How have you differentiated by making the island a “lifestyle” destination? Kandima is about “keeping it real”. Our aim is that the Kandima experience will mirror how our guests would really like to live at home, including what truly matters to them. We don’t focus on being lavish or exclusive, but welcome everyone. Its #YourKindOfPlace. Kandima is revolutionary, it’s the first real lifestyle resort in the country and it’s shaking things up over here – it’s the NEW Maldives. Why was it important to create a place like this? Consumers are driving a change in the hotel and resort industry. There’s a new breed of guest whose needs are different to those of previous generations. T h e i m p a c t o f r i s i n g affluence, globalisation and technology has led to modern guests valuing experiences and the feeling of ‘being connected’ over traditional hotel luxuries – and the Maldives isn’t excluded from this. That’s why we’ve created this four-star lifestyle resort. Guests want to visit these beautiful islands and experience the tranquility, the underwater world surrounding us, and the weather. But they now demand more. They also want adventure, action and wider choice. People want to grow personally and we’ve built a resort where guests can escape the ordinary. They can forget normal, the mundane. Here at Kandima they are entering a place where (almost) everything is possible and boredom simply doesn’t exist. What are your key source markets so far and how are they evolving? As this is our first year of operation, it’s crucial for us to position the resort in the established Maldives Mohamed Khaleel Managing Director, Kandima Maldives markets. That means that much of our efforts in terms of marketing and PR will go towards key markets such as China, Europe, the UK, Middle East and Russia. But these markets are evolving and Kandima, as a new, fresh, vibrant and resort has a sales, marketing and PR team that is fully aware of what they need to do to keep up with the changing markets, changing trends and changing needs and d e m a n d s o f t h e n e w traveller. Video and social media is king and our team will be focusing their efforts on these means to attract our key source markets and the guests that want to seek an experience rather than a basic beach holiday. Which connections will you be pursuing at ITB? There has long been a gap in the market for a contemporary, vibrant, 4-star resort in the Maldives, but now it has arrived. ITB Berlin gives us the opportunity to meet with our contracted partners, to update them on Kandima and discuss how we can best work together in the future to bring Kandima to their clients. It also gives us the chance to meet with new partners to explain the concept o f K a n d i m a a n d t h e #AnythingButOrdinary holiday that guests will experience. Many tour operators are looking for a resort that represents the NEW Maldives and that’s Kandima. We’ll be waving our flag and sharing our passion and excitement for Kandima to existing and new tour operators, journalists and media partners. Hall 5.2a / Stand 107 ITB BERLIN NEWS • Thursday 9 th March 2017 www.itb-berlin-news.com
SPECIAL DOSSIER: MALDIVES 35 Mohamed Riyaz CEO & founder, Lets Go Maldives Maldives: 2016 Partner Country Builds on Success Mohamed Riyaz, CEO and founder of Lets Go Maldives, talks to ITB Berlin News about the Maldives’ efforts to consolidate gains made in the wake of its successful stint as 2016 ITB Berlin partner country. He starts by talking about the importance of ITB Berlin. Though Maldives is one of the most exotic and unique travel destinations of the world, that alone is not enough. We need a good partner like ITB to promote our country for the correct audience. We have had more arrivals and more inquiries [since last year], and overall it is getting better and we are recovering after the problems of 2015. We expect these results to continue in 2017. What new promotions are you bringing to ITB? Having discovered that the Maldives is sometimes perceived as a very expensive destination, we are moving towards a new milestone of affordable tourism. With the introduction of new guesthouses, resort choices and hotel offers, we are trying to bring more affordable choices to the Maldives Hall 5.2a / Stand 107 New Gan Airport Brings Maldive Resorts Closer The opening of international flights to Gan airport, adjacent to Addu township in the south of the Maldives, has opened a new era for the region – providing an alternative transportation offering that can save travelers valuable vacation time. Airlines sea plane service between Gan and our luxurious hideaway to meet the new service and provide additional convenience to our guests,” said John Allanson, general manager of Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort. Allanson said Gan is “virtually on the doorstep” of the Outrigger and all the resorts in the southern atolls Hall 5.2a / Stand 107 SriLankan Airlines started flying from Colombo to the upgraded Gan airport in December and resorts in the south have responded favorably. “Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort has added an on-demand 30-minute Trans Maldivian Trans Maldivian Airways Services New Resorts A number of new Maldivian resorts opened in recent months after the Maldives government decided to extend the number of island leases available to Hotel companies. The tourism hotspot is in the midst of a new hotel construction boom, with 11 new resorts opening in the last year. Five of these resorts are serviced by Trans Maldivian Airways, including St. Regis Vommuli Maldives in Dhaalu Atoll; Milaidhoo in Baa Atoll; Cocoon Maldives in Lhaviyani Atoll; Soneva Jani in Noonu Atoll; and Hurawalhi Island in Lhaviyani Atoll with the world’s largest underwater restaurant. With the addition of these new resorts and many more launches planned for 2017, the year looks promising in terms of tourist arrival growth in the Maldives Hall 5.2a / Stand 107 ITB BERLIN NEWS • Thursday 9 th March 2017
