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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

Awards

Milaidhoo Maldives’ Serenity Spa wins Best Hotel Spa at Condé Nast Johansens Awards 2027

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Milaidhoo Maldives’ overwater Serenity Spa has received the Best Hotel Spa award at the 2027 Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence, recognising the resort’s personalised wellness services and spa experiences.

The awards ceremony was held at The Montcalm Mayfair in London on Monday, 2 November 2026. Milaidhoo Maldives was represented by Georgie Westley, Corporate Director of Marketing and Communications at Versa Hospitality, alongside representatives from ROVE PR UK.

Located in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Serenity Spa offers a range of wellness treatments and services in an overwater setting.

The spa provides personalised wellness programmes supported by an on-island wellbeing consultant, daily yoga classes and an extensive selection of treatments designed to meet individual guest requirements.

Guests can receive treatments at the overwater spa or in the privacy of their villas. The treatment menu includes massages, beauty therapies and specialised wellness treatments incorporating advanced technologies.

Among the technologies available at Serenity Spa are the LYMA Laser, Archedaway Cupping Therapy and M2T Blade. The spa also uses products from wellness and beauty brands including Natura Bissé, Aromatherapy Associates, Obsidian for Men and Margaret Dabbs.

Milaidhoo Maldives incorporates wellness into other aspects of its guest experience, including its culinary offerings. The resort’s approach includes meals prepared using fresh ingredients from its Chef’s Garden, alongside daily yoga sessions and activities centred on relaxation and wellbeing.

Paul van Frank, General Manager of Milaidhoo Maldives, said the award recognised the spa team’s commitment to delivering personalised services.

“We are incredibly proud of this recognition. Our Serenity Spa is a special part of the Milaidhoo experience and our team, the Milaidhoo Family, takes great care to ensure every guest receives the attention and personalisation they deserve. From expert treatments to the simple pleasure of taking time for yourself, we want guests to leave feeling refreshed and reconnected,” he said.

The recognition highlights Milaidhoo Maldives’ wellness offerings, which combine spa treatments, specialist therapies, personalised services and wellness-focused dining experiences.

The resort continues to incorporate wellness into its hospitality offering through its Serenity Spa, culinary programmes and recreational activities.

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JOALI rewards returning guests with exclusive digital art collectibles

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JOALI has introduced a personalised festive gifting initiative for selected returning VIP guests, featuring original non-fungible token (NFT) digital artworks inspired by the resort’s geographical location and surrounding marine environment.

The initiative is designed to recognise returning guests and strengthen relationships with those who have visited the resort on multiple occasions.

The centrepiece of the gifting programme is an original digital artwork developed using JOALI’s geographical coordinates as its creative inspiration. The coordinates have been incorporated into a three-dimensional underwater artwork representing the marine environment and biodiversity surrounding the island.

Each selected guest will receive an individual version of the artwork, creating a unique digital collectible associated with their experiences at JOALI.

The NFT format also allows recipients to trade or sell their digital artworks through compatible NFT marketplaces, should they choose to do so.

The initiative forms part of JOALI’s approach to personalised hospitality, extending guest engagement beyond their stays through digital art and creative experiences.

By incorporating geographical data, underwater imagery and blockchain-based digital collectibles, the resort aims to provide returning guests with a personalised connection to the destination.

The festive gifting programme also reflects JOALI’s continued focus on integrating art, creativity and the natural environment into its guest experiences, while recognising the relationships established with its returning visitors.

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Avani+ Fares Maldives offers young guests football training with Martin Kelly

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Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort will host an Exclusive Kids’ Football Camp featuring former Liverpool FC defender Martin Kelly from 15 to 18 November 2026, offering young football enthusiasts an opportunity to train with a former Premier League player.

The four-day programme is open to children aged five to 13 of all skill levels and will combine professional football coaching with recreational activities at the resort in Baa Atoll.

The event follows three football camps previously hosted by Avani+ Fares Maldives with former England and Liverpool FC striker Michael Owen, as the resort continues to develop sporting experiences for younger guests.

The upcoming camp will feature daily afternoon training sessions led by Kelly, alongside a welcome meet-and-greet, beach games, pool parties, FIFA tournaments and other recreational activities.

Each participant will receive an official football camp kit comprising two customised jerseys, shorts and socks. The programme will conclude with a closing ceremony, during which participants will receive medals and certificates.

“A football camp is about so much more than what happens on the pitch. It’s about helping young players enjoy the game, believe in themselves and learn how much they can achieve as part of a team,” Kelly said.

“I’m looking forward to sharing some of what I’ve learnt throughout my career and, most importantly, having fun with the kids in such an incredible setting.”

Kelly, a graduate of Liverpool FC’s academy, made 62 senior appearances for the club and was part of the squad that won the League Cup in 2012. He later continued his Premier League career with Crystal Palace, where he spent several seasons.

The football camp comes in a year when Avani+ Fares Maldives was recognised as Best Family Resort at the Travel Trade Maldives Awards & Gala 2026.

Located within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll, the resort offers a range of accommodation options for families, including Overwater Villas, Two-Bedroom Ocean View Pavilions and Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villas.

In addition to the football camp, guests can participate in activities such as house reef snorkelling, sunset fishing, watersports and beach recreation. The resort also offers activities for younger guests at AvaniKids, while wellness treatments are available at AvaniSpa.

The Exclusive Kids’ Football Camp will take place from 15 to 18 November 2026, with a participation fee of USD 399 per child.

A five-night accommodation package starts from USD 3,784 per room for two adults and one child staying in a Premium Ocean View Room.

The package includes accommodation, half-board dining, football camp participation for one child, seaplane transfers, and applicable taxes and service charges.

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