Maldives Breaks the Scuba Dive World Record!

Maldives has made a new world record for “Most people scuba diving simultaneously” on a single site.

On 25 February 2006 at Sunlight Thila in North Male’ Atoll located 9.6 km from Male’ International Airport, 979 divers dived to break the existing record of 722. This dive took place between 11:00hrs and 11:30hrs.

Divers aged between 10-73, consisting of tourists, Maldivians and expatriates from 37 resorts, 9 dive centres including the Coast Guard and 14 safari vessels participated in this record dive.

Post-event celebrations were held at Kuda Bandos where all the participants enjoyed a beach barbeque lunch while they were entertained by Maldivian cultural dances and bodu beru. During this event, the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahamood Shouqee congratulated the divers and thanked the organising committee, sponsors and the divers for their role in making this event a success. Certificates were awarded to the divers and the day ended with a photo session with all the participants.

Maldives rated as the no. 1 Holiday Destination

The Maldives has taken the 2005’s number one spot among top long haul holiday destinations in the world, according to Kuoni’s Long Haul Report 2006. Maldives has taken the top position from Thailand which took 3rd position where Egypt took 2nd and Dubai 4th. Maldives is also Kuoni’s number one Honeymoon Destination for 2004 and 2005.

The report also highlights the importance of the destination to be careful of pricing itself out of the market by focusing purely on five star deluxe properties, as there is high demand for good three and four star resorts, and how vital it is to maintain extra capacity in the critical middle segment of the market in order to keep volumes up.

The new year brings more awards for luxury resort Hilton Maldives Rangali

In the seven months since its re-opening as a six-star resort, the Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa has won numerous prestigious awards. For guests, it simply means that the very best services and standards will be at their disposal. Behind the scenes, it reflects the fact that the resort has established itself in the market as offering the best facilities hand-in-hand with the best business practices.

This month alone, the resort has been awarded an “International Gold Star Award for Quality” from Business Initiative Directions (BID), Spain as well as being voted “Best resort in Asia” by readers of Asian Legal Business in their annual travel awards.

• Summary of recent awards won by the Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa:
  Best Resort in Asia Asian Legal Business Magazine – February 2006
• Gold Star: International Star Award for QualityBusiness Initiative Directions (Spain) – February 2006
• 8th Place: Best Spa in Africa, Middle East and Indian Ocean Condé Nast Traveller – January 2006
• 6th Place: Top 10 Luxury Hotels in Asia
• 29th Place: Top 100 Luxury Hotels in the World - TripAdvisor.com Travelers’ Choice Award – January 2006
• One of the Top 101 Hotels in the WorldTatler Magazine (UK) - December 2005
• Best Hotel WorldwideSunday Times Readers’ Awards (UK) - November 2005
• Best Innovative Concept Outside Of Lodging (For Ithaa Undersea Restaurant)Worldwide Hospitality Awards (France) - November 2005
• Silver Award For Best Hotel Middle East, Africa & Indian OceanVirgin Holidays (UK) - November 2005
• Gold Award – Most Popular Hotel/Resort Indian Ocean Holidays For Couples (Australia) – Readers’ Choice Awards - September 2004
• Runner Up – Best Resort In The World Business Traveller Magazine (UK) – Reader Poll 2004- September 2004

PATA announces 2006 Gold Awards winners

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2006 PATA Gold Awards. This year the awards honour the achievements of 28 travel-related organisations and individuals. The winners will receive their awards during the 55th PATA Annual Conference in Pattaya, Thailand, April 23-27, 2006.

The honours include four Grand Awards and 31 Gold Awards.

The Marketing award will go to Singapore Airlines for its "Singapore Airlines Recovery Initiatives - Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bali." SIA successfully rallied the support of industry partners and tourism authorities in the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bali. The airline garnered its global network and resources to promote a wide-ranging recovery programme. The promotion of the Maldives and Sri Lanka received enthusiastic response: more than 2,000 passengers purchased the holiday packages.

Source: Pata

White Sands Resort & Spa wins the Award

Based on independent traveler reviews posted worldwide, Playaway's 2006 destination, the White Sands Resort & Spa in the Maldives, has been honoured as a 2005 winner of the TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award.

Source: playawayfromhome.com

Emirates offers special reduced business class fares

Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, flies from Malta to Dubai four times a week, and is offering special reduced fares on a number of exciting destinations for business class passengers travelling from Malta to or via Dubai.

Maltese travellers can take advantage of Emirates’ offer to visit Dubai, or travel onward around the airline’s global network, choosing from Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Auckland, Christchurch, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Seychelles and the Maldives.

Source: The malta independant

Travel firm fined Rs 50,000 for foreign trip

NEW DELHI: A travel company will have to shell out Rs 50,000 as compensation to a company for causing inconvenience to its clients when they had travelled to Maldives for a vacation at the year end.

A consumer court gave the order in favour of the complainant company whose clients were forced to return from Maldives as their hotel was changed and their stay was curtailed.

State consumer commission president, justice J D Kapoor held Stic Travels guilty for turning a "pleasure trip" into a "misery trip" and directed it to pay the money to the complainant, Sunshine Travels Ltd, who had to compensate its clients for poor services.

Source: Times of India

The Great Outdoors sparks a private affair

Here’s another reason why you might need to wipe off the anticipation-induced sweat after the return of The Great Outdoors in 2006. On Monday 6th February, Network Seven’s The Great Outdoors will showcase one of the world’s most finest and intimate resorts, Dhoni Mighili, located in the Ari Atoll, Maldives.

Dhoni Mighili is the only island in the Maldives that can be privately booked. This unique preview of the island will melt your heart as the show takes you onto the whitest coral sand island amid the exquisite surroundings. Guests can be immersed in luxury with their own air-conditioned Dhonis or Maldivian yacht with crew, chef and Thakura (butler).

Source: E-travel blackboard

The Maldives is marvellous

The Maldives feels like paradise with its clear waters, starlit skies, white beaches and sunny days.

The paradise island holiday destination is probably the most tired cliché in travel ads, and certainly the most far-fetched in many instances. It seems like any stretch of beach with palm trees in a sunny climate qualifies as paradise.

But the Maldives literally robs one of such cynicism, for it really fits its paradise tag. So, maybe I am not the most seasoned of travellers, or the hardest to impress. But I have never seen water so clear, nor sea in such brilliant turquoise shades. It’s quite surreal to be in the midst of such postcard perfect beauty.

With 26 atolls and 1,192 islands stretching 900km across the Indian Ocean, the Maldives can afford to share its paradise with outsiders. The Maldivian government leases out its islands to be developed into high-end holiday resorts. With 26 atolls and 1,200 islands stretching 900km across the Indian Ocean, the Maldives can afford to share its paradise with outsiders. The Maldivian government leases out its islands to be developed into high-end holiday resorts. Holidaymakers literally get an island all to themselves.

Maldivian Fisheries Minister opens International Aqua Show

Maldivian Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Abdullah Kamaludeen today inaugurated the 3rd International Aqua Show in Kochin India, focusing on the growing export potential of the multi-crore-rupee ornamental fisheries sector.

Fishing and tourism, the two major economic activities in the Maldives, depend on abundant, beautiful coral reefs abutting the nation's islands. These reefs provid an ideal breeding ground for hundreds of varieties of tropical fish and other marine life. However, there were hardly any local freshwater fish varieties available in the Maldives, he said.

The Aquashow, jointly organised by the Kerala State Department of Fisheries and the State Fisheries Resources Management Society (FIRMA), will also include a two-day seminar on 'Recent Trends in Ornamental Fisheries', starting tomorrow.

Source: Web India News

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces Checks Into Sydney

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), which owns and operates Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, this morning officially opened and launched its newest acquisition BLUE, Woolloomooloo Bay, Sydney. The 100 room, five-year old hotel, located on The Finger Wharf at Woolloomooloo Bay, was formerly known as the W. The hotel is among the top hotels in Sydney and is Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces' first foray into Australia.

Established in 1903, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is one of Asia's largest and finest group of hotels, comprising 56 hotels in 39 locations across India with an additional 17 international hotels in the Maldives, Mauritius, Malaysia, Seychelles, UK, USA, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Africa and the Middle East. From world-renowned landmarks to modern business hotels, idyllic beach resorts to authentic Rajput palaces, each Taj hotel offers an unrivalled fusion of warm Indian hospitality, world-class service and modern luxury. The Taj, a symbol of Indian hospitality, has recently completed the centenary of its landmark hotel, The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Mumbai. Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is part of the Tata Group, India's premier business house.

Source: Hospitality Net.