The Islandchief , Travel Tabloid 13| August 2017

Email : news@islandchief.com | Hotline : +960 9994534

VOL 13 | AUGUST2017 | www.islandchief.com

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Maldives Travel Awards People’s Edition Maldives Wins Big

At The World Travel Awards

Super Chef Fiesta 2017 At LUX* South Ari Atoll

P: 9

Experience the ultimate speed nationwide

ooredoo.mv

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AIRLINE PRESS

National Carrier Maldivian reduces domestic fares with the decrease of Jet fuel price

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ational Carrier “Maldivian” has announced the reduction of domestic fares with the decrease of Jet fuel charges from Velana International Airport. Jet Fuel Prices has been decresed by MVR 0.73 p/liter from domestic and MVR 0.35 from International.

The new domestic air fares will have a reduction of MVR 100 per route as per official from Maldivian Airline. The Airline also confirms that the revised fares would be effective from 17th July onward through Passenger Sales Agents and Airline Offices Nationwide.

Singapore Airlines Marks Its 70th Year With Celebrations

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ingapore Airlines has launched a special promotion to mark its 70th year of service in the industry.

On 1st May 2017, the airline turned 70 years old while on 2nd May 2017, it celebrated its first flight to Zurich, Switzerland. Furthermore, a logo has been created to celebrate the anniversary, showing the number 70 combined with the stylized bird symbol in the Singapore Airlines logo.

Singapore Airlines is also organizing a Charity Run on 8th October 2017 in order to raise funds for a Community Chest as part of its 70th Anniversary Year celebrations. The Charity Run will encompass a 10km Competitive Run, 5km Fun Run and Corporate Challenge, with teams of seven runners completing 10km each. It will also highlight a Wheelathon segment, in which 70 beneficiaries will be nominated by Community Chest to participate in a 3km route tailored for wheelchair users.

“The Singapore Airlines Group is pleased to be able to do our part to give back to the community through the Charity Run, with funds raised going to our long-time partner Community Chest,” said Boris Mak, Chairman of the Singapore Airlines Charity Run 2017. “Seventy years is a significant milestone for the SIA Group and we wanted to commemorate it in a special way through a public event that can help support those in the community who need it most,” he added.

Attractive prizes can be won for both race winners and participants alike during the Charity Run. Winners of the 10km Competitive Run and the Corporate Challenge will receive Business Class, Economy Class or ScootBiz tickets to a destination of their choice within the SIA, SilkAir, and Scoot network, depending on their finish position. Meanwhile, all participants will be entitled to take part in a lucky draw for a chance to win Business Class tickets on SIA or SilkAir, or ScootBiz tickets on Scoot.

Emirates and Flydubai unveiled an extensive partnership agreement

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mirates and flydubai unveiled an extensive partnership which will see the two Dubai-based airlines join forces to offer customers unmatched travel options. Both airlines will continue to be managed independently, but will leverage each other’s network to scale up their operations and accelerate growth.

The innovative partnership goes beyond code-sharing and includes integrated network collaboration with coordinated scheduling.

The new model will give flydubai customers seamless connectivity to Emirates’ worldwide destinations spanning six continents. For Emirates’ customers, it opens up flydubai’s robust regional network.

The two airlines will also further develop their hub at Dubai International, aligning their systems and operations to ensure a seamless travel experience through the ultra-modern airport; currently the world’s busiest for international passengers.

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CURRENT NEWS

BML launches “Experience Maldives” campaign

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ank of Maldives supports Tourism the Chief Guest and the Secretary General of Industry to achieve 2 Million Tourists the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry Target By 2020.

(MATI), Mr.Ahmed Nazeer, delivered a keynote address.

Bank of Maldives has pledged to support the tourism industry to achieve its target of 2 During his speech, Andrew Healy highlighted million tourists per year by 2020. BML CEO BML’s commitment to the industry. “Bank of and Managing Director, Andrew Healy, made Maldives are supporting your growth – funding this statement at the BML Hotelier Maldives you and providing you with card services, Summit which was held as part of the Travel payment gateways and a whole lot more.

Trade Maldives (TTM) Fair that commenced on Tourism-related loans account for more than the 12th of July 2017.

MVR 3 billion of our loan portfolio and we have branches, ATMs and card terminals supporting BML and American Express are the Platinum you, your staff and your guests. We are fully Partners of TTM, which is the first international committed and continuing to assist you in your tourism fair to be held in Maldives. The Fair, efforts to attract 2 million tourists per year by which was organised by Maldives Getaways, was 2020.” attended by over 200 delegates from the tourism industry, including a number of international With this successful event, Bank of Maldives tour operators. and American Express jointly launched a major tourism promotion campaign, “Experience The BML Hotelier Summit brings together Maldives”. The campaign will promote the leading tourism industry stakeholders, including Maldives among the vast American Express hotel owners, operators and general managers. cardholder base across the globe.

Minister of Tourism, Mr.Moosa Zameer was

Moodhu Goyye Celebrating the 3rd Womens Dive Day, LADIES ONLY

Ooredoo SuperNet service

introduced to Thaa Atoll Vilufushi

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oredoo Maldives has introduced their SuperNet service to Thaa Atoll Vilufushi.

Ooredoo Maldives confirms that the service has been introduced toVilufushi with fiber broadband packages providing the service upto 30 mbps.

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The Chief Executive Officer of Ooredoo Maldives, Mr.Najib Khan said that the introduction of SuperNet services to Vilufushi would benefit the people of the island to a great extent. He also added that Ooredoo customers will have the options in the internet packed with the SuperNet service designed for different uses.

Surfing, Diving, Swiming and even extreme watersports have been conducted by these women of all ages. The love to Ocean by these women has set sample and created interest among the remaining to join hands and enjoy the waters of the nation which consists of 99% ocean and 1% land.

Ooredoo confirms that in an effort to provide high speed internet at an affordable price, they have decided not to charge the setup fee, security deposit, advance fee and the re-connection fee.

oodhu Goyye succesfully held an event to celebrate the 3rd Women’s Dive Day with all the Goyyes out there who loves the ocean! The LADIES ONLY event took place on 15th July, Saturday at Maagiri Dive Site in North Male’ Atoll.

Moodhu Goyye, an initiative by women watersports and ocean enthusiasts has conducted various programmes in the past to aware, educate and advocate the women’s role in watersports and ocean.

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RESORT PRESS

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Coco Collection wins Indian Ocean’s “Leading Boutique Hotel Brand” at the World Travel Awards

oco Collection is thrilled to have been awarded Indian Ocean’s Leading Boutique Hotel Brand at the 2017 World Travel Awards. Established in 1993, these prestigious brand accolades celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality.

every guest is given a completely individual tailored experience. Coco Bodu Hithi translates island life into contemporary sophistication.

The resort is a chic retreat where you reconnect with yourself, your loved ones and the wonder of the natural world. Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu is dedicated Today, the World Travel Awards is recognised to the inspiring beauty and natural wonder of the globally as the ultimate hallmark of the industry Maldives. Here, environmentally-conscious touches excellence. At the Indian Ocean gala ceremony held are woven into luxurious natural surroundings and on 08th July, the award was accepted by Mr. Shabeer initiatives contribute to the environmental and social Ahmed, Founder, Managing Director and Chairman sustainability of Maldives. of Coco Collection.

Coco Collection has built a strong reputation as Three islands comprise the Coco Collection brand. a luxury brand offering stylish and sophisticated Coco Privé Private Island offers guests the chance escapes, and this win is another step in strengthening to escape to an entirely private island. Creating a the position as a leading boutique luxury brand in sense of intimacy and ownership, this 1.4 hectare the Maldives and the region. island is dedicated to one booking at a time, where

The Royal Residence at Jumeirah Vittaveli recognised at World Travel Awards

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umeirah Vittaveli has won the award for ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Luxury The Royal Residence offers a host of experiences and services that make it an Hotel Villa 2017’ at the 24th World Travel Awards for the recently launched unparalleled luxury experience, from stargazing with an astronomer, to cuisine Royal Residence.

by Michelin star Chefs, a stay at this extraordinary cluster of villas is like no other.The World Travel Awards were established to acknowledge, reward and Amit Majumder, General Manager of Jumeirah Vittaveli, said: “We are honoured celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality to receive this award and especially, since the Royal Residence was launched industries, and today, as they celebrate 24 years, the brand is recognised globally only three months ago. The Royal Residence was a team effort, inspired by guest as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence. This makes it a very special wishes and realized with input and dedication from the team on location. We accolade for Jumeirah Vittaveli to receive. are honoured to see such a great reception of a product that is an essential and logical extension of the facilities & services offered at Jumeirah Vittaveli and we In recent years, Jumeirah Vittaveli has been recognised as the Maldives’ look forward to continuing to amaze our guests and partners alike!”

Leading Spa Resort in 2016 and 2015 by the World Travel Awards, Romantic Hotel/Resort of the Year 2016 by AsiaSpa Awards, Best Luxury Island Resort in The 5 bedroom Residence on the southern tip of the island of Vittaveli is a Maldives 2016 by World Luxury Hotel Awards, Best Indian Cuisine in Asia 2016 resort within the resort. It features 2 private pools, 3 bedrooms as part of the for its signature restaurant Swarna by the World Luxury Restaurant Awards, main complex and 2 further bedrooms as part of a two storey Guest House, and more. in addition to its own dedicated restaurant, a private spa, gym and Jacuzzi.

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RESORT PRESS

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas

Honored as Top Hotel Brand

By Travel + Leisure Magazine in 2017 World’s Best Awards

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ix Senses Hotels Resorts Spas is ecstatic to announce it has been named as the Top Hotel Brand in the world by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine.

The August issue marks the 22nd edition of World’s Best, with more than 300,000 respondents submitting ratings in categories ranging from cities and hotels to airlines, cruise ships, and destination spas.

“We are super excited to receive this prestigious award from the readers of Travel + Leisure.

Everyone at Six Senses could not be more proud, and deeply appreciative of the guests who took the time to vote.” said Neil Jacobs, chief executive officer at Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas.

The Six Senses brand is built on incredible locations, sustainable practices and a deep commitment to pioneering wellness. Neil Jacobs credits the debut win to these strengths, along with a personalized and consistent approach to service: “Across all of our 11 properties worldwide, day in and day out, our dedicated hosts make sure each stay is unique and memorable ensuring that our guests leave in a better place than when they arrived. Our owners

and travel partners are also key contributors in delivering this winning guest experience.”

Six Senses is expanding to more magical places around the globe, including new openings next year in Bhutan, Bali, Cambodia, Fiji and Turkey and development of the first urban property in New York’s art district opening in 2019. Six Senses will continue to focus on greeting new and returning guests with its empathetic and quirky take on hospitality.

With a monthly circulation of over 950,000 readers, Travel + Leisure has been considered the leading travel authority in the world of publishing since it first hit the newsstands in 1937. Each year the World’s Best survey takes place from November through March, inviting readers to participate through Travel + Leisure magazine, T+L tablet editions, newsletters, social media, and www.travelandleisure.com. In the category of hotel brands, the 2017 award criteria included the group’s locations, rooms/facilities, food, service and value.

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Breathtaking Beautiful Freediving Spots Travelers interested in freediving can head to Mantaray Island Resort in Fiji which is the one of the most popular freediving spots in the world.

Upon certification, guests can explore Fiji’s clear waters and see coral reefs and colorful angelfish, clown fish and parrot fish, turtles, dolphins and reef sharks. From May through to October, guests can also freedive with the island’s massive manta rays, which have wingspans stretching up to 20 feet.

In the Maldives, Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa offers Padi freediving classes at its dive centre.

Graduates can dive into Dhonakulhi Island’s reef channel, home to exotic sea life, and 48 nearby dive sites including one known as the Aquarium, where they can spot moray eels, lion fish and seasonal manta rays.

Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru arranges for guests to shadow a manta ray scientist for a day, freediving with marine biologists from the Manta Trust on board a research vessel.

Mantaray island - Fiji

Dhonakulhi islands reef channel - Maldives

Baa Atoll - Maldives

Nimmo Bay - Canada

From June to the beginning of November, lunar tides and monsoons increase plankton levels in areas of the Baa Atoll, attracting manta rays, whale sharks and other sizeable fish. Freedivers learn to improve their diving technique while taking identification photos and helping record environmental information essential to manta ray conservation.

For freedivers willing to brave colder waters, Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort in Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, Canada, takes guests on guided freedives to see box crabs, starfish and edible sea urchins.

The resort also offers alpine lake freediving, travelling by helicopter, divers can immerse themselves in pristine glacial lakes to see huge underwater cliffs. Wilderness and wildlife freediving packages include accommodations, meals, floatplane transfers and some excursions.

Dubbed as the “shipwreck diving capital of the Philippines”, Coron has some of the best spots for freediving in Asia. The island offers amazing experiences for seasoned certified freedivers, who want to take their adventures to the next level and start uncovering the secrets that lie beneath.

While all the regular and intro courses are on offer, the true attraction is the “fun dives” that take you on a day-long exploration boat trip to three shipwrecks where, under the watchful eye of experienced professionals, you get to dive down to the three ship wrecks which are the remains of the Japanese fleet that sank here in 1944.

Freediving Coron is one of the schools that will let you get started from the basics or dive right into the adventure with a 1.5-hour single session at Barracuda Lake or a one-day freediving activity.

Philippines

Maldives Is Perfect For Budget Travellers

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t has been observed that Asian millennials are driving the boom of in budget travel to the Maldives. This rising segment typically spends between US$80 to US$200 per night on accommodation and prefers staying in guesthouses on the local islands, although a handful of travellers also combined it with a night in a resort island for the experience according to Mr. Mohamed Riza, director of business development at Sunset Maldives, stated while speaking at the Travel Trade Maldives (TTM) event in Maldives.

Millennial travellers from India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand have driven businesses up for the inbound tour agency by 35 percent year-on-year.

“They tend to look for good deals online but use the services of a travel agent for sightseeing,” Riza added.

He also noted that the biggest beneficiary of the budget segment boom are the islands located within three hours by speed boat from Malé City. He added: “The challenge for guesthouses located on faraway islands outside this three-hour radius is the high airfares. It is cheaper to get to Sri Lanka from Male’, compared to taking a domestic flight to these islands.”

On Thinadhoo Island, Plumeria Maldives Hotel has seen a 10 per cent year-on-year increase from budget travellers, mainly made up of young adults and undergraduates from China, Malaysia and India, said sales executive, Rial Hossain. He commented: “They tend to make use of last-minute online deals and take advantage of the low season from May to July.”

Meanwhile, daily AirAsia flights to Maldives as well as discounts and room upgrades offered to credit card holders are also fueling a spike in bookings from Malaysia to the four-star Bandos Maldives, according to sales and marketing executive Anna Naseem. The resort is 15 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport.

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TRAVEL NEWS

Maldives Wins Big

At The World Travel Awards Indian Ocean Event

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aldives Wins Big At The World Travel Awards Indian Ocean Event Maldives was recognized as Indian Ocean’s Leading Destination, Indian Ocean’s Leading Beach Destination and Indian Ocean’s Leading Dive Destination at World Travel Awards Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony 2017. Hosted at the fivestar Sun Aqua Vilu Reef, the prestigious event was attended by hospitality leaders from across the region.

The St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort won the award for Indian Ocean’s Leading Island Resort and Sun Siyam Iru Fushi was named Indian Ocean’s Leading Family Resort. Jumeirah Vittaveli took the title of Indian Ocean’s Leading Luxury Hotel Villa while Baros Maldives was named as Indian Ocean’s Most Romantic Resort.

Maldives Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr Hussain Lirar, said: “Maldives Ministry of Tourism is thrilled to have won three prestigious World Travel Awards. Maldives and World Travel Awards share a lot of common values. Most importantly we both celebrate excellence in hospitality and the highest level of service to visitors.”

World Travel Awards President and Founder, Graham Cooke, said “It has been an honor to recognize the leading hospitality providers from the Indian Ocean tonight and I offer my heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of them. It is your hard work, dedication, initiative and investment that makes the Indian Ocean tourism sector the success it is today.”

Cooke continued: “I look forward to seeing many of tonight’s winners later this year at the Grand Final in Vietnam, where they will compete for the global titles.”

In the airline categories, Air Seychelles was voted Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline and

Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline Business Class, while Air Mauritius was the recipient of Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline Economy Class award.

Trans Maldivian Airways walked away with the trophy for Indian Ocean’s Leading Seaplane Operator.

Sri Lanka was awarded as Asia’s Leading Destination and Asia’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination, while the Hilton Colombo scooped the awards for Sri Lanka’s Leading Business Hotel and the Movenpick Colombo was voted Sri Lanka’s Leading Hotel.

Partners for the Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony 2017 included TV5 Monde, Maldives Tourism, Sun Siyam Resorts, Aeroflot, Dhiraagu and Coca Cola. World Travel Awards Gala Ceremonies are widely regarded as the best networking opportunities in the travel industry, attended by government and industry leaders, luminaries and international print and broadcast media.

The World Travel Awards brand is also recognized globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire. Each year World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognize and celebrate individual and collective successes within each key geographical region.

Maldives Travel Awards - People Person of the Year 2017

Maldives Association of Travel Agents & Tour Operators (MATATO) has named 10 individuals as Pe

A special function held at Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi announced 10 Individuals from different 10 Honorees - PERSON OF THE YEAR 2017

also been involved in developing the Coastguard Diving Unit,

the first locally-owned dive centre at a resort and the Marine 1- Aminath Mamshooga

Faculty of Villa College where he served as the dean for two

In a career spanning over 24 years, Mamshooga has become

years.

one of the most courteous sales representatives in the aviation industry, having worked at the then Maldives’ flagship carrier

4- Rasa Sangheran

Air Maldives and leading international airline Emirates. Now

A Sri Lankan born Chartered Accountant, Rasa serves as

a marketing representative for Turkish Airlines, Mamshooga

the Director of Finance at One&Only Reethi Rah, one of the

has studied from various institutions, including the prestigious

finest resorts in the Maldives. In his 15-year long service to the

Emirates Aviation College, and is involved in training sales

Maldives’ tourism industry, Rasa has made Reethi Rah the most

representatives to ensure top notch customer service.

tax compliant resort in the Maldives. He has also taken several

notable steps to empower both local and expat employees, 2- Yousuf Riffath

including changes to the minimum wage and average service

A visionary that saw the potential of Maldives as a leading travel

charge, and equal pension benefits for all employees at Reethi

destination in its hay day, Riffath founded Capital Travel and

Rah.

Tours, one of the most successful tour operators in the country.

In a career spanning over 35 years, Riffath has been involved in

5- Qaisar Naseem

founding and leading MATATO and Liveaboard Association

A beacon of hope for aspiring local hospitality executives,

of Maldives (LAM), and has served as the President of the

Qaisar has climbed up the ranks from a receptionist to become

Maldives Chapter of American Society of Travel Agents and

one of the few local General Managers in the industry. A

the Association of Travel Agents. He has also contributed to

school dropout, Qaisar, while leading Paradise Island Resort,

the growth of the industry as a Board Director of the Maldives

has earned post-graduate education in hotel management

Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).

and business. He has won several local and international

recognitions for his leadership and dedication to teamwork, 3- Hussain ‘Sendi’ Rasheed

including the award for the Best General Manager in Indian

A name synonymous with Maldives’ diving industry, Sendi has

Ocean by World Luxury Hotel Awards.

trained over 1,600 divers in his three decades of service. Being the first and only PADI Dive Course Director in the country,

6- Renato W. Chizzola

Sendi is a pioneering force in developing several industry

A global hospitality leader, Renato serves as the General

standards, including the National Diving Regulations. He has

Manager of Cheval Blanc Randheli as well as the Vice President

e’s Edition

erson of the Year at Maldives Travel Awards - People’s Edition on 13th July 2017.

t segments of Maldivian Tourism and honored them with the recognition.

,

of Operations, Asia and the Middle East for Cheval Blanc,

9- Ali Rasheed

e

LVMH Hotel Management. He has helped Randheli achieve the

A computer programmer by training, Ali bumped into

o

highest RevPAR, LQA score and service charge in the region.

the hospitality industry by accident while developing the

Renato, whose previous experiences in the Maldives include

reservations and sales software for Paradise Island Resort in

serving as the General Manager of Constance Halaveli, has won

1995. In his capacity as the Director of Marketing and Sales

several accolades, including the Friendliest General Manager

at the Marketing and Operations Department of leading

s

award by Traveller Made, Science of Talent by Talent Plus and a

local resort operator Villa Hotels, he is now responsible for

e

Personal Recognition award by Entrée Travel Publication.

overseeing the daily operations and marketing requirements

e

of five resorts in the Villa portfolio. Ali has also contributed

t

7- Ibrahim ‘Don’ Ali

to the growth of the industry as a former Executive Board

l

Since starting his career in 1979 at the age of 17 as an office

Member of Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI)

,

cleaner in Baros Maldives, Ali has overseen the development

and Maldives Tourism Advisory Council at the Ministry of

e

and renovation of several tourist facilities in the Maldives,

Tourism.

i

including the construction of resorts from scratch. A self-taught man except for a few short courses abroad, Ali was appointed

10- Zeenaz Hussain

General Manager of Mookai Hotel and Mookai Suites in capital

An educator and mentor, Zeenaz pursued a career in the kitchen

Male City in 2013, after overseeing the developments.

at the Paradise Island Resort right after completing her studies

,

at the Hotel School (now known as the Faculty of Hospitality

e

8- Abdul Rasheed ‘Absy’ Ali

and Tourism Studies). While working in the industry, Zeenaz

A

A voice loved by Maldivians and tourists alike, Absy has

instructed at the Institute of Hotel and Catering Services as

,

dedicated most part of his four-decade long entertainment

a trainee food production instructor before taking her first

t

career to promoting the Maldives’ culture amongst tourists. A

teaching job at the Hotel School in 1997. Since then she has

l

founder of popular bands ‘Amazon Jade’, ‘20 th Century BC’ and

been instrumental in producing the future generations of

,

‘Out of Door Maldives’, Absy has released a solo studio album

hospitality executives, which led to her appointment as the

n

which has sold over 1,600 copies to tourists. He continues to

Dean of the Faculty in 2011.

l

t

perform two regular gigs a week with Out of Door Maldives, entertaining tourists and helping them connect with the local culture and lifestyle.

“FSM to Procurement, We’re Here.”

Our dedicated onboard operations team navigates through channels of long stretched lagoons, to deliver fuel straight to your docks.

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Super Chef Fiesta 2017 At LUX* South Ari Atoll

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outhwatering images from the Japanese Themed Umami restaurant, at Lux* South Ari Atoll, as they hosted “Lux* Superchef 2017!”. 11 chefs participated, including 2 pastry chefs, who were each given a black box containing 5 ingredients they must use, with the given instructions. Each chef was also given a list of other ingredients they may use from the resourceful kitchen as well.

The chefs were faced with the challenge to manage to plan, prepare and present a starter followed by a main course within 3.5 hours. Adding to that, each course had to be prepared in 4 plates; 1 for presentation and 3 for the judges. From the hot cold kitchen, the black box for the starter contained Salmon, Scallops, Samphire, Fennel, and Lardo di Colonato. For the main course, the chefs had to infuse Chicken and Root Vegetables along with Starch and a North African spice mix; Ras El Hanout! For the dessert, pastry chef ’s black box included Dark Chocolate, Orange, Raspberry, Caramel and Hazelnuts. However, they were allowed to use any ingredient for their bread.

Over the time, given plates were lined up and one was presented to 2 in house chef judges, overlooking the kitchen, keeping an eye out for hygiene and technical skills. The other 2 plates were presented to blindly to a team of Juries. The blind Jury team included of 6 respected members from the resort management and a guest staying at the resort.

Each chef was awarded points out of a whopping 1200 points.

As the afternoon went down in a bit of rain and sun in the beautiful Umami, the 11 chefs were anxiously waiting for the results. Judging from the looks on the Juries faces, it was evident that the chefs gave off an excellent challenge to them. Nevertheless, the awarding ceremony started off and nothing but smiley faces emerged.

The ceremony started off with an introduction by Mr.Afeef, followed by words of encouragement from Executive Chef, Dave Minten.

Each participant was given a cook book and a token of appreciation for participation. The gifts for the ceremony were contributed by the sponsors of the Super Chef. Sepia International, Fine foods International, SAFCO, Deli United, Fantasy, living water service, Cosmopolitan and Standard & Origin pvt ltd collaborated in sponsoring the event. Furthermore, the resort management offered a complimentary one night stay at LUX* for the winner.

The overall judge’s winner was awarded to chef Manum with an IPad 2. The 3rd place went to chef Nuwan who was awarded a 32” TV. The 2nd place, Chef Gehan was awarded an iPad 3. Chef Sameera was awarded the most original and creative dish by the juries. Samira was presented with a 40” TV. Dessert Chef Manum was further awarded as The Winner of the tournament with an iPad 3 and the resort stay. At the end of the day only happy smiles and proud selfies emerged from the fiery kitchen fiesta. The winners were chosen to perform at the International cooking tournament to be held in Male’ City later this year.

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NEWS

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MATATO Promotes Maldives at IITM, India

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aldives Association of Travel Agents & Tour Operators (MATATO) has taken part in India International Travel Mart (IITM) from 21st - 23rd July 2017 in Banaglore. Nine businesses from Maldives including Resorts, Hotels, Guest Houses and Travel Agents has taken part along with MATATO at the event promoting there packages for Indian Travelers.

MATATO has been playing an active role in promoting the destination and tourism industry by taking part in major travel and tourism events in the world.

IITM Participants includes : - The Sun Siyam Resorts - Adaaran Resorts - Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa - Taj Exotica - Arena Hotels - Makeplan - Visitens Travels & Tours - Bison Travels - Moodhu Holidays

PATA Human Capacity Building Programme Held In The Maldives

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he inaugural PATA Human Capacity Building Programme in the Maldives was held in early July in conjunction with the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO). There were 45 participants in attendance. Representing PATA were CEO Dr. Mario Hardy and Director-Human Capital Development Mrs. Parita Niemwongse.

The event, with theme ‘Exploring the Art of Storytelling’, was staged at the Bandos Island Resort. It provided participants with an intensive and interactive training programme that incorporated a series of classroom sessions conducted by leading travel industry experts coupled with practical activities, group assignments and networking opportunities. The programme content was based upon the successful PATAcademy-HCD at the Association’s Engagement Hub in Bangkok.

“Human capital development is a fundamental component in PATA’s mission for the responsible development of the travel and tourism industry in the region. We remain committed to providing opportunities for local communities to share in the benefits of tourism and broadening the horizons of tourism industry professionals beyond their day-to-day tasks,” said PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with MATATO to stage the first PATA Human Capacity in the Maldives. The theme, ‘Exploring the Art of Storytelling’, fits perfectly with the Maldives where there are so many fantastic stories to be told to a global audience.” Abdulla Ghiyaz, President – MATATO said, “I hope this opens the door for further cooperation between PATA and MATATO and this becomes an annual event in the Maldives.”

Speakers at the two day programme included Kyle Sandilands, Director and Cinematographer; Trevor Weltman, Head of Growth – Triip.me; Dung ‘Mos’ Dang, Founder and Head of Product – Scott Experience Design, and Matt Gibson, President of the Professional Travel Bloggers Association and CEO of UpThink. Matt Gibson said, “Since the Maldives faces institutional barriers to bring outside storytellers to the country, my session focused upon providing delegates with the tools they need to tell the story of this beautiful destination online. It’s important for all storytellers to know how to identify the story ideas that are the most interesting, to craft inspiring content and to leverage social media to maximise the reach and impact of that content.”

The PATA Human Capacity Building Programme is the Association’s in-house/outreach initiative for Human Capital Development (HCD) across the broad spectrum of travel and tourism. Leveraging PATA’s network of talented industry leaders worldwide, the Programme designs and implements customised training workshops for government agencies, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and private sector businesses.

The training is delivered through innovative adult education learning techniques including case studies, group exercises, group discussions, instructor presentations and site visits. The facilitators bring knowledge, experience and expertise from a wide range of business sectors and drawn from PATA’s extensive and established network in the tourism industry and beyond.

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Interview

Cellar Master Maldives Cellar Master Maldives is a specialized wine, beer & spirits importer based in the Maldives with the aim of providing expertly led options to the countless resorts of the country. It has established itself in the Maldives with the sole slogan as the ‘The New Face Of Wine In Maldives’. It is comprised of a strong and dedicated team of experts of the industry who are ready to go to any lengths to provide the ultimate service

1) Could you give us a brief introduction of the company and your work?

5)What are some of your most notable products and brands?

I was appointed as a General Manager at Cellar Master Maldives in September 2016.

We are lucky to have some excellent producers backing us, giving us a range of

We are a specialist wine, beer & spirits importer, and our aim is to provide expertly

products that have proven to be successful internationally, time and time again. We

led exclusive options to the surrounding resorts. My job is to ensure we maintain

nurture close working relationships with our producers and we feel very proud to

a high standard throughout all of our practices and to support my team. We truly

receive support exclusively in the Maldives from some of the best in the industry.

care about all of our products and the people behind them. Our energy is focused

We work with the exquisite Champagnes House Charles Heidsieck. One of the

on supplying high quality, value for money and interesting products. We consider

oldest great Beaune négociant houses spanning 250+ years, Domaine Chanson. The

ourselves a green company, taking on environmentally friendly initiatives to improve internationally recognized specialist Malbec producer, Maal Wines. Purato, made our customers and their guest’s experience. We are proud to offer many wines crafted using 100% eco-friendly products and completely unadulterated by chemicals or according to sustainable, organic or biodynamic practices.

man-made pesticides. Château d’Anglès, the family estate of the famous Eric Fabre from Château Lafite Rothschild and the pioneering biodynamic producer Robert

2) How did the idea of importing alcohol and supplying them to the resorts begin in

Eden with château Maris - to name but a few.

2008?

Cellar Master Maldives was established in 2008 by the fine foods import company,

6)What are your goals for the company?

Fantasy Pvt Ltd. Fantasy have a strong reputation for excellent quality products via

Our goal is to provide Maldives resorts with the best high quality and value for

B2B and B2C supply. They decided to reach out to the wine sector offering new

money wine options. To provide on hand expert advice and support, enabling resorts

and exciting products. Originally concentrating on wines from Australia and New

to maximize on opportunities and increase their sales. Most of all, our goal is to

Zealand, Cellar Master had a growing and loyal customer following.

provide a concentrated range of products that can be supplied to resorts consistently.

We have refined our systems allowing us to be proactive in the market, with an

3) How has the company progressed since then?

intuitive and reactive service for our customers.

Since then, Fantasy partnered with a Dubai based company and more resources have been given to Cellar Master to allow the company to evolve. In 2017 we decided

7) As an alcohol importer, do you face many challenges?

that the range needed refreshing and have since taken on a number of products

There are a number of challenges that alcohol importers face in the Maldives.

from around the world, sourcing from some of the best in the industry. We have a

Shipping times can be slow from international producers which can cause delays. We

concentrated range of fresh vintages that have been stored correctly throughout their believe in maintaining a concentrated range, uncluttered by too many categories, to life, and we are now a fast growing team with a sister company in the Seychelles.

ensure we supply consistently. Importing natural products into any tropical country will face its challenges, keeping products fresh with up to date vintages is a must for

4) What were some of the highlights of the company’s journey?

us. Our team of wine experts would never allow a wine to be sold that is a tired old

Launching our new website was high on our agenda. We are a transparent company

vintage, poorly stored. Freshness is key.

that provides useful information and industry led advice and news. We created an interactive online portfolio for our customer’s convenience which allows our range

8) Do you have any new developments or plans for the future that you could share with

to be accessible from anywhere in the world (or any Atoll). We are very proud of

us?

partnering exclusively with producers that have international industry acclaim, this

We have big plans for the future, our list will remain refined but it will expand. We

is an exciting time for us. After visiting all of our producers and associates at Prowein attend international trade shows to stay up to date and select the right products for this year we had the amazing opportunity to taste/select and meet first hand our

this market. It is all too easy to select 100’s of products and say yes to everything but

network of industry support from across the world.

it is vital to supply consistently. We are taking time to listen to our customers and plan to hold a trade led event to give everyone in the industry the chance to taste and network. We feel this is something the Maldives is missing. To keep up to date with our journey, connect with us on social platforms.

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SATA 2017 Gala Retreat Scheduled for October in Maldives

Events

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he South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) endorsed by multinational organizations have scheduled to hold it’s 2nd Annual Gala Retreat in the Maldives during October 2017.

SATA with over 400 nominations from major hospitality industry brands and services did close the nominations for this year on 31st May. Currently online voting process is taking place while professional evaluation panel will be traveling to India’s 4 cities , Male’ - Maldives , Colombo - Sri Lanka and Kathmandu - Nepal during mid August. Already The Chancery Pavilion Hotel Bangalore and Champa Central Hotel , Male’ has been confirmed as hospitality partners while Maldives TV , MV Hotels, The islandchief and Maldives Insider has been confirmed as travel media partners of the event.

The organizers of SATA advised that , they are exploring the possibilities to host 2017 edition in down south of Maldives (Addu City). However, the location has not been finalized as there are lots of logistical challenges to host an event in Addu City.

Meanwhile, the official added that other venues are in consideration of hosting SATA Gala Retreat.

Maldives Marine Expo 2017

Sponsors & Partners Revealing Event Held At Kodhipparu Sandbank

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he sponsors and Partners for the Maldives Marine Expo 2017 edition was revealed at a colorful ceremony held at the tranquil sandbank of Kodhiparu in Male’ Atoll on 23rd July 2017. Organized by Blak pvt Ltd it was truly oneof-a-kind event with a breathtaking setting which was attended by key members of the industry.

FLOATING ASIA ELIYZ Symphony MYPC - Asus Showroom & Service Centre Meraki Coffee Roasters Happy Market Set on the spectacular sandbank of Kodhipparu at sunset it was a indeed very lively Maldives TV event with a DJ and marvelous food surrounded by the stunning natural beauty of Absolute Security & Advance Protection Private Limited Maldives on all sides.

Seven Ocean Transport Pvt Ltd Inside Plus Maldives Marine Expo 2017 was endorsed by Maldives Association of Tourism Design Gallery Industry (MATI) and Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators Rhombus Maldives Pvt. Ltd. (MATATO). At this ceremony, sponsors and partners were revealed with Conscience Partner remarkable speeches from the key members of the industry.

Parley for the Oceans Supporting Partner Main sponsors of the Maldives Marine Expo 2017 are Maldives Transport and Dive 48 Contracting Company Plc and Gulf Craft Service Centre Maldives with Cosponsors including Fuel Supplies Maldives Pvt Ltd and Allied Insurance Company. Held annually since 2013, Maldives Marine Expo is a platform for local boating industry professionals to meet and connect with their peers from around the world.

MALDIVES MARINE EXPO 2017 PARTNERS It provides boat owners as well as suppliers to explore new business opportunities Premium Partners and partnerships, and collaborate with organizations that represent the boating Visit Maldives industries of other countries.

Dhiraagu M7Print Exhibitors of the event include a wide range of businesses, including trade Event Maldives Pvt. Ltd representatives, marine equipment suppliers and service providers. It also extends to resort developers and real estate agents as well as companies that provide Exclusive Partners telecommunication services, technology solutions, banking, financing and Mihaaru insurance services.

Efficacy Legal LLP CTL Strategies Over 32 exhibitors, including suppliers from China, Egypt, India, Russia, Sri Lanka, Ritrella Cruise Hotel UAE and the US attended last year’s expo.

Pixel Solutions

Traditional Chinese Miracles

By Jereme Leung At Ufaa Restaurant

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onrad Maldives Rangali Island hosted a 1930’s pop up event at the famed Ufaa Restaurant which was overseen by the Shanghainese celebrity chef Jereme Leung. Exotic platters of traditional Chinese food along with delicious cocktails were on the menu for the special night. Ufaa Restaurant was the setting of the beautiful event.

As soon as the Ufaa restaurant came into view, I realized that this was going to be an unforgettable night full of gastronomical miracles. Mr. Jereme Leung, a pleasant man greeted me and my team at the entrance accosted by members of his team dressed in traditional Chinese dresses. The restaurant was beautifully adorned with umbrellas and traditional Chinese artworks.

Friendly waiters accompanied us to our tables, where we set down and the whole concept of this special night was described to us. We could see that they were eager to serve us and take us on this wonderful journey of China that they had greeted. Even though the all-Chinese Ufaa Restaurant on the island of Rangali is thousands of kilometers away from China, it displayed the country in every aspect.

Traditional umbrellas hanging overhead gave us the image of a small town in china along with the colorful lights decorating the tables. We were presented with a set menu filled with different courses and dishes native to china. Starting off with authentic Chinese snacks such as Deep Fried Breaded Prawns and Crispy Prawn Spring Roll with Cheese. These tasty snacks were followed with Xi Hu soups and Chicken Boiled soups, to kickstart the night.

After mulling over the menu on what to order we finally decided on a Beef Tenderloin in Black Pepper, Stir Fried Prawn with Celery in XO Sauce and Stir-Fried Boneless Chicken Meat served with Sichuan Pepper and Dried Red Chili. We finally got to see and experience a true Chinese meal at its best quality with these unique dishes. Choosing the most suitable cocktails along with these dishes were recommended to us. We were equally delighted to see the magic and creativity behind this, as the tastes of the dishes went very well along with the cocktails and balanced each other out. Oolongtini’s and Szechuan Mandarin and a Hong Kong Sling were the recommended cocktails for the dishes. After that, we were presented with Fried Rice and Snow Crab Meat and Lobsters, which gave us the unique and exotic Chinese taste mixed with modern sauces. Finally, we were treated with dessert, which was Yunan Rose Petals Ice Cream. Melting away in the mouth, this ice cream can only be described as something of a miracle for your stomach. It is something that is not very common in China, Mr. Jereme Leung explained to us when he visited us to bade goodbye.

My previous notions all came true after the tasty and pleasant dinner, it was indeed an unforgettable night full of gastronomical miracles. We were glad to be a part of this amazing and unique experience created by Mr. Leung, his team and Conrad Maldives Rangali Island.

And it was truly a night to remember as we finally retreated to our rooms.

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