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China’s online travel bookings to double by 2015

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Maldives.net.mv – China’s travel market is powering through the headwinds of a slowing economy, driven by enormous travel demand among the country’s expanding middle class.

Freshly crowned as the largest travel market in Asia Pacific, China will sustain double-digit travel bookings growth through 2015, according to a new report from travel industry research authority PhoCusWright. Travelers continue to shift online at a blistering pace, with online leisure/unmanaged business travel gross bookings growing three times faster than the overall travel market.

“Despite ongoing economic challenges, the middle class is hungry for independent leisure trips and their options for online searching, shopping and buying are expanding,” said Maggie Rauch, PhoCusWright research analyst. “With online travel penetration still trailing well behind Japan and Australia/New Zealand at 15%, there remains enormous potential for online growth, and competition among travel suppliers and intermediaries is hotter than ever.”

Online travel gross bookings will more than double between 2012 and 2015 to exceed US$30 billion, according to PhoCusWright’s China Online Travel Overview Sixth Edition. Online travel agencies, led by homegrown players Ctrip and eLong, will continue to post substantial gains, even as they lose online share to hotel and airline websites. And looming on the periphery are the new breeds of online intermediaries: an increasingly transactional crop of metasearch sites and online shopping malls that have upped their emphasis on the travel vertical.

Gain insight into the latest developments in China’s rapidly growing online travel market. China Online Travel Overview Sixth Edition presents market sizing and projections for the total and online leisure and unmanaged business travel markets in China from 2011-2015. The report also outlines the key trends that will shape China’s travel market in the years to come.

Report highlights include:

  • Total market and online leisure/unmanaged business travel bookings for 2011-2015
  • Bookings by major travel product segment – air, hotel, rail and car rental – including discussion of key players and segment dynamics
  • Detailed online travel market analysis, including online penetration, share by segment, and unique characteristics
  • Comparison of online travel agencies (OTAs) versus supplier websites, including key players, bookings and projected growth rates through 2015
  • Examination of the OTA landscape – local versus global players, recent activity and comparison of business models and offerings
  • Emergence and impact of other online intermediaries, including metasearch and online shopping malls
  • Continued importance of offline fulfillment and the role of traditional travel agencies
  • Impact of the mobile channel on online travel shopping and purchasing
  • Importance of social media platforms and online reviews in travel research and planning

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Fushifaru Maldives blends cultural experiences with new in-house activities

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Fushifaru Maldives has introduced a refreshed programme of guest activities and experiences as it enters 2026, combining cultural elements with new forms of entertainment across the resort.

The boutique resort has expanded its in-house activities to cater to a wide range of age groups. New offerings include circus-style sessions for children, hula hoop classes, aerial performances, fire shows and CYR wheel displays, aimed at providing structured entertainment for both families and adult guests.

The resort marked the end of 2025 with a Gatsby-themed farewell event, featuring a cocktail evening where guests were invited to dress in period-inspired attire. New Year’s Eve celebrations centred on a dinner service prepared by the resort’s culinary team, with a menu that included beef ribs, roasted turkey, grilled lobster, salmon and oysters, alongside seafood selections, Japanese dishes, Asian and Mediterranean cuisine, and live cooking stations. The evening concluded with desserts and tropical fruit offerings.

For 2026, Fushifaru Maldives has also updated its daily activity schedule. Themed dinner nights continue to form a core part of the guest experience, with a Maldivian-themed dinner held every Friday. This includes a live cooking demonstration based on traditional Maldivian preparation methods, highlighting the step-by-step process of making local curries.

According to the resort, the updated programmes are designed to strengthen guest engagement while maintaining links to Maldivian heritage. The focus remains on offering structured experiences that reflect both cultural practices and contemporary resort entertainment.

Fushifaru Maldives stated that it plans to continue developing its activity and dining concepts throughout the year, with further updates to be shared with guests and industry partners.

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Niyama Private Islands enhances surf lifestyle with stylish new surf venue

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Niyama Private Islands Maldives now offers what is considered the most luxurious surf experience in the Maldives, enhanced by the introduction of its new Surf Shack — a stylish beachfront hangout serving gourmet bites, drinks, sunset views and lively parties.

Known as Nature’s Playground, the resort has long attracted surf professionals from around the globe. Located in the southern Maldives, where swells are at their strongest, it is a preferred base during peak surf season. Waves break directly on shore, with additional surf spots accessible within minutes by speedboat.

Niyama’s signature waves roll in at Vodi Point, situated on the westernmost tip of its twin islands. It is here that the resort has unveiled the new Surf Shack, designed to make time off the waves equally appealing. The thatched-roof venue encourages a barefoot, relaxed atmosphere, offering an upper deck for sunset viewing and picnic-style seating below. Reflecting Niyama’s sustainability ethos, Area Chief of Engineering Michael Patrick Slevin notes that 75 per cent of construction materials were repurposed, blending beach casual with environmentally conscious design.

Guests can enjoy gourmet dishes served from service windows, with a menu inspired by iconic surf destinations worldwide: Australian fish and chips, Indonesian satay, Mexican nachos and Japanese takoyaki. The drinks list pays tribute to rum, featuring an extensive collection and signature cocktails inspired by renowned surf breaks.

While the Surf Shack maintains a laidback feel during the day, the beachfront transforms at dusk as the tides shift and the DJ elevates the atmosphere. The resort’s rum and reggae Sundays have already become a celebrated weekly event.

Surfers at Niyama can design their days as they wish — chasing waves or relaxing ashore. The Surf Centre offers equipment and guidance, while Drift by Niyama provides recovery treatments to soothe muscles, repair sun-exposed skin and restore energy. Resident professional surfers remain available to advise on technique and wave conditions.

“The new Surf Shack forms part of the renewed Niyama experience, which includes significant refurbishments across the resort, inventive culinary additions and a greater emphasis on active living and wellness,” said Hafidh Al Busaidy, General Manager of Niyama Private Islands Maldives. “With more developments on the way, we look forward to sharing what comes next.”

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Intimate island experiences shape Valentine’s Day at InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort

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This Valentine’s Day, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort invites couples to celebrate love through a collection of carefully curated experiences designed to unfold in intimate moments across the island.

Framed by the natural beauty of Maamunagau Island, the resort’s Valentine’s programme centres on a series of limited-edition dining and wellness experiences created exclusively for the occasion. From private beachfront dining and moonlit dinners along Café Umi Beach to an elevated Valentine’s evening at the signature Lighthouse venue, romance is conveyed through setting, atmosphere and thoughtful detail rather than elaborate gestures.

Culinary experiences sit at the heart of the celebration, with bespoke Valentine’s menus intended to be savoured slowly, paired with curated wines and accompanied by uninterrupted ocean views. Each dining experience is crafted to feel personal, whether enjoyed beneath the night sky or in one of the island’s more private spaces.

Beyond dining, couples are encouraged to reconnect through shared wellness experiences at AVI Spa. Signature rituals and indulgent treatments offer a quieter expression of romance, giving guests the opportunity to unwind together in a calm, oceanfront environment. Those seeking complete privacy may opt for bespoke in-villa treatments, allowing the occasion to be marked within the comfort of their own surroundings.

Throughout Valentine’s Day, subtle touches across the resort—from crafted cocktails to curated wine moments—enhance the celebration without overwhelming it, reflecting InterContinental Maldives’ belief that genuine luxury is rooted in balance, intention and authenticity.

At InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, Valentine’s Day is shaped not by excess, but by considered, enduring moments that create shared memories long after the day has passed.

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