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A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.

tourism

Tourists at a guesthouse

Guesthouse business in distress, amidst the unrest

3 min read

The original Dhivehi article was published on Avas.mv website on 7th February 2018. The following is a loose translation: This was also how the Maldives was in February 2012. At that time’s political unrest, it really affected the Maldives’ economic backbone, the tourism industry. A lot of important markets were lost. 6 years later. It […]

Emboodhoo lagoon project

Emboodhoo Lagoon open to local businesses

2 min read

Top government officials discussing the Emboodhoo Lagoon project, after the ceremony that was held to inaugurate the government’s integrated resort project. MIHAARU PHOTO / HUSSEIN WAHEED Local businesses would have the opportunity to establish their presence at the USD 800 million project, “Enboodhoo Lagoon” being developed in Kaafu atoll, an official from the project revealed […]

Velana I A

Holiday season peak brings over 140 private jets to Maldives

2 min read

Aerial view of private jets parked at Velana International Airport on December 28, 2017. PHOTO/MACL More than 140 private jets swamped Velana International Airport within one week as international tycoons and celebrities arrived in the Maldives to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. The peak tourism season in the Maldives is the duration of winter […]

Bill Gates in Maldives for the holidays

Bill Gates in Maldives for the holidays

1 min read

Philanthropist and co-founder of the Microsoft Corporation Bill Gates speaks during a session of the One Planet Summit on December 12, 2017, at La Seine Musicale venue on l’ile Seguin in Boulogne-Billancourt, southwest of Paris. The French President hosts 50 world leaders for the “One Planet Summit”, hoping to jump-start the transition to a greener […]

Chinese tourists

China travel agents cannot operate in Maldives despite FTA

1 min read

Tourists pictured at VIA. PHOTO: NISHAN ALI/MIHAARU Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) has stated that Chinese travel agents will not be permitted to operate in the Maldives under the new bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) between the Maldives and China. MATATO stated that the FTA would have a positive impact on […]

Staff and guests and Bandos Island Resort during the marathon held on December 10, 2017 at the island to mark its anniversary.

Bandos Island Resort holds marathon to mark 45th anniversary

2 min read

Staff and guests and Bandos Island Resort during the marathon held on December 10, 2017 at the island to mark its anniversary. The first resort opened in the Maldives, Bandos Island Resort has held a marathon to mark its 45th anniversary. The marathon titled “Viva la Vida” was held on Sunday evening at the resort […]

Tourism minister Moosa Zameer pictured speaking at a ceremony. PHOTO/MIHAARU

Govt to lobby bill on passenger rights to parliament

1 min read

Tourism minister Moosa Zameer pictured speaking at a ceremony. PHOTO/MIHAARU Tourism minister Moosa Zameer announced Thursday that a bill proposing to gain trust and protect passenger rights will be submitted to the parliament next year. In a speech given on the occasion of International Civil Aviation Day, Zameer stated that the government was constantly working […]

Tourism contribution to GDP nosedives despite revenue spike

2 min read

Two tourists being served at Sun Island Resort & Spa. PHOTO: NISHAN ALI/MIHAARU The tourism sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Maldives has dropped over the past four years despite increasing by 53.7 percent in revenue. According to the official statistics published by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday, tourism […]

Maldivian Airlines issues non-apology for seaplane crash

Maldivian Airlines issues non-apology for seaplane crash

2 min read

A Maldivian seaplane operator issued a non-apology Thursday for a crash involving one of its aircraft, as a report surfaced of the pilots abandoning passengers and swimming away and children’s life jackets being given to adults. Holidaymakers Thomas Markey and Sebastian Marczyk had sat through two aborted take-offs before being lobbed into the ocean on […]