Maldives withdraws from New7Wonders of Nature competition, citing concerns over escalating fees

The Maldives has decided to immediately and unilaterally withdraw from the New7Wonders of Nature competition because of the New7Wonders organiser’s demand for expensive license fees and sponsorship packages in order to compete meaningfully in the remainder of the competition.

“With regret, we are withdrawing from this competition because of the unexpected demands for large sums of money from the New7Wonders organisers. We no longer feel that continued participation in this competition is in the economic interests of the Maldives,” said Thoyyib Mohamed, Minister of State for Tourism, Arts and Culture, and Chairman of the Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC).

The Maldives originally agreed to participate in the New7Wonders of Nature competition in early 2009 and paid a participation administration fee of $199. However, the details of the joint initiatives and escalating costs were not clearly outlined prior to signing. Recently, the New7Wonders organisers have repeatedly asked the Maldives to pay significantly more money, including:

• A Platinum sponsorship license fee at US $350,000.

• Two Gold sponsorship license fees at US $210,000 each.

• The sponsorship of a ‘World Tour’ event, whereby the Maldives would pay for a delegation of people to visit the country, provide hot air balloon rides, press trips, flights, accommodation, communications etc.

• US $1,000,000 license fee for a national telecom provider to participate in New7Wonders campaign – later reduced to US $500,000 on appeal.

• US $1,000,000 license fee for a Maldives based airline to display logo on aircraft.

The MMPRC repeatedly asked the New7Wonders organisers if there was a way to stay in the competition without paying significant sums of money. The New7Wonders organisers eventually stated that the Maldives could host a “protocol visit” for a delegation of the New7Wonders organisers, in which the Maldives would incur “flights and logistical costs etc.” The New7Wonders organisers pointed out, however, that “in our previous campaign for the man made Official New7Wonders of the World, all the winners had highly successful World Tour Events” and added “you do need sponsorship to participate fully in initiatives such as the World Tour event visit”

While the Maldives has invested considerable time and effort in campaigning for the New7Wonders of Nature competition, the country has not spent significant sums of money on the campaign. After extensive discussions with tourism industry stakeholders, the Maldives has decided to withdraw from the competition with immediate effect.

The Maldives would like to note the press release from UNESCO dated July 9, 2007 which states: “Although UNESCO was invited to support this (the previous“New7Wonders of the World” competition) project on several occasions, the Organisation decided not to collaborate”

The Maldives further notes concerns raised by lawyers acting for the Indonesia Ministry of Tourism, in regards to Komodo Island’s participation in the New7Wonders of Nature competition.

Finally, the Maldives is perplexed with the recent inconsistent patterns of the rankings of the competitors at this stage of the competition and the lack of detailed information and transparency as to how this is calculated.

For more information please contact Mohamed Adam on +960 333 1826 or email mode@visitmaldives.com

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Maldives participated in the Emirates Holidays World 2011

The Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) accepted the invitation to participate in the annual brochure launch of Emirates Holidays as a destination of Emirates Airline. Emirates Holidays, the tour operating arm of the Emirates Airline organized the event which took place at the Event Center of InterContinental Hotel Dubai Festival from 29th April to 1st May 2011.

The event provides an ideal platform for consumers and travel agents to gain in-depth knowledge of the destinations showcased in Emirates Holidays brochure and familiarize with their staffs.

Maldives presentation was entitled “Maldives, Unique in the world!” and was presented to over 200 agents by Mr. Mohamed Adam, deputy Director and Mr. Simon Hawkins, Managing Director of MMPRC alongside 30 other parties presenting their destinations including Mauritius, France, UK and Seychelles.

Throughout the event certain issues became abundantly clear to the MMPRC such as that many in the region are not aware of the closeness of the Maldives and the frequency of flights, the fact that the Maldives too are Muslim and therefore understand their halal food requirements and religious preferences. The appeal of the high standard of accommodation and equipment on the resorts and the huge investment in the product was highlighted by the audience. The safety of the destination for families with the space and privacy that other destinations can only dream of was their most sort after requirement.

Above all, what cannot be underestimated is the ease of visiting the Maldives in terms of the non visa requirements. This without doubt is a major attraction and a key factor to grow new business!!

The feedback was that the wealthy in this region love high brand status and this does not come much higher than the Maldives! – Truly “Unique in the world”.

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For more information please contact:
Simon Hawkins, Managing Director
Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation
Telephone: +960 332 3228;
Facsimile: +960 332 3229
Email: mmprc@visitmaldives.com

Maldives participates at ATM in Dubai

The Managing Director of Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation, Mr. Simon Hawkins led a delegation from Maldives to Dubai for the 18th Arabian Travel Market (ATM) that was held from 2 to 5 May 2011 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Maldives delegation comprises of 77 delegations from 44 organisations, namely MMPRC, resorts and tour operators that participated in ATM 2011 under the Maldives’ banner. The delegation breakdown consists of 17 resorts and 25 travel & tour operators.

ATM, the largest trade and consumer travel show in the Gulf region, serves as an ideal platform for Maldivian suppliers and relevant agencies to establish marketing networks with their United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Middle East counterparts. The Maldivian delegation updated the travel trade and members of the media in the UAE and Middle East on new developments and products in the Maldives. Participation in this annual travel market helped to strengthen the presence of Maldives in the Middle East market as ATM brings together the regions buyers and sellers from every sector of the industry.

This year marks Maldives’ 12th year of participation at the ATM. Maldives’ continuous support for this annual event demonstrates a firm interest in the Middle East market, which showed potential growth in the past few years.

The Maldives Pavilion with an area space of 105 sq. meters was prominently located at stand number AS360, next to the Thailand Pavilion. Themed as a beach resort of the Maldives, the concept showcased the uniqueness of the intricate stone carving of Maldives traditional Muslim mosque.

Maldives recorded a total of 246,606 tourist arrivals during the first three months of 2011, indicating a sign of growth of tourist to the country. It represented an increase of 12.3 percent compared to 219,516 for the same period in 2010 making a record breaking figure ever for this period.

In 2010, a total of 11,692 tourists from the Middle East showed a growth of 22.1 percent compared to 2009. The first three months of this year records a total of 2,428 travellers from the Middle East visiting Maldives, signifying an increase of 10.5 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2010. The top tourist generating countries from this region are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Lebanon.

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For more information please contact:
Aminath Hudha, Senior Marketing Officer
Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation
Telephone: +960 332 3228; Facsimile: +960 332 3229
Email: mmprc@visitmaldives.com

Ayada Maldives – An awe inspiring world

Recognized by the World Travel Awards as Europe’s Leading Tourism Development Company and Asia’s Leading Inward Tourism Development Company; Ayada Maldives is an awe inspiring world in the stunning Gafuu Atoll, Maldives. This exceptional luxury resort features 112 villas with breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean, seven outlets offering world-class cuisine, an extensive spa, scuba diving centre and an array of water sports. With superb amenities and impeccable service this 150,000 square meter island is heaven on earth.

Beyond the swaying palms lie a magnificent beach….this is the magic of Maldives. Guests can interact with a variety of fish and marine life in the swim reef, choose to go for diving in one of the unspoiled locations in the world or simply relax in their private pool and terrace. Days and nights are filled with endless culinary delights as the spirit of the island takes your breath away.

Stylishly furnished for comfort, all 50 water villas and 62 seafront villas provide maximum privacy with their own private pool and terrace overlooking the tranquil waters. Each of the villas is spacious (starting from 125 square meters) and guests can also enjoy the services of a Butler with knowledge pertaining to the destination and the resort facilities. Designed by leading SPA experts, the 3,500 square meters SPA & Health Club unites the nurturing effects of water with earth’s elements. Along with its breathtaking treatment villas, the SPA also offers a private Hamam, a variety of saunas, steam baths and SPA showers. The relaxation lounges and health bar complete this private sanctuary of calm and tranquility.

Three a la carte restaurants, a wine bar with an opulent selection, the pool bar and several cafes offer the highest standards of culinary excellence while ensuring that guests have an extensive variety of cuisines to choose from. The stylish yet casual atmospheres with natural sunshine and views of the azure waters ensure a memorable dining experience whatever your choice of cuisine…International, Asian or Mediterranean.

Maldives Honeymoon Offers

Slipping away to paradise

The glowing sunrise in the dawn
The birds flying so withdrawn
The roaring winds from the ocean
The clouds in its harmonic motion
The shells and sand shift underneath
The ground moist beneath
The grains of time flies by
The mind cant defy…
.. slipping away to eternity…

All Inclusive Family Holiday Deals

Maldives Tops in the Dream Holiday Destinations for Germans

According to a recent survey conducted by popular German travel website Hotel.de Germans revealed that if money were not an issue, most German tourists would opt for a holiday to the Maldives.

The question asked in the survey was that if money was not a factor in planning a holiday, what would be their dream destination to visit? The results turned out that for Germans, 10.88% voted for the Maldives, 7.91% for the Caribbean, 6.68% for the US, 6.03% for Australia, 5.05% for the South Pacific, 4.62% for New Zealand, 3.55% for Canada, 3.09% for Italy, 3.07% for Scandinavia, and 2.91% for Mauritius

Of the 11,000 clients that participated in the survey, one percent said they would opt to go on a tour to Greenland or Antarctica.

In 2010, Maldives recorded a total of 791,917 arrivals. Out of which a total of 77,108 arrivals were German nationalities which is 11.6% growth compared to 2009. Germany contributes 9.7% of the total market share of the Maldives tourism.

In March 2011, Maldives had a total of 8,908 German arrivals which is a 4.1 increase compared to the same period in 2010. And from January – March 2011, Maldives had a total of 21,890 German arrivals which is a growth of 4.0% compared to Jan – March 2010 and this reflects 8.9% of market share.

Germany remains as one of the most important traditional markets to the Maldives. And every year Maldives has been represented hugely in the world’s leading travel show ITB, Berlin and in the leading dive and boat show, BOOT fair which is held in Dusseldorf.