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Shangri-La introduces new service initiative for Chinese travellers

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Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has introduced a new service initiative for outbound guests from mainland China; Xiang Ju.

In a statement, Shangri-La said the the programme, which features seven signature services and bespoke local experiences for Chinese guests, will first launch on 1 August at Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong. By the end of the year, Xiang Ju will be expanded to all Shangri-La branded  hotels and resorts based outside of mainland China, totalling 41 properties in 35 destinations including London, Tokyo, Sydney and the Maldives.

“Centred on Shangri-La’s hallmark ‘hospitality from the heart’ and built on the company’s extensive experience of operating in China for over 30 years, Xiang Ju, or get together at Shangri-La, ensures Chinese guests have meaningful experiences away from home and feel comfortable in their surroundings abroad,” the statement read.

The deck of a beach villa in Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa in Maldives. PHOTO/ SHANGRI-LA

The new programme’s seven services include:

  1. WeChat Assistant: Upon confirmation of a hotel booking, guests will be given a QR code to scan and connect with the hotel’s special China Guest Action Team on WeChat for instant communication, regardless of time and location.
  2. The Bespoke Experience: Guests will be offered the services of a Mandarin Chinese-speaking guide to explore a destination and its local culture.
  3. We Speak Chinese: Mandarin Chinese-speaking staff will be on hand at the host hotel to assist with guest queries and small details.
  4. Please Be Informed: Important hotel information printed in Chinese, which includes safety procedures, food and beverage services, floor plans and an emergency contact, will be provided upon check-in and will also be available electronically via a QR code.
  5. Tea Service: The hotels will provide a variety of Chinese teas allowing guests to enjoy their preferred drink away from home.
  6. Your Food – The Seven Wonders: Seven different types of Chinese congee, originating from different regions in China, will be available for breakfast.
  7. A Taste of Home: Chinese comfort food, namely noodles and congee, will be available to order from the hotel’s in-room dining menu for late-night snacking.

“Shangri-La is well recognised for its distinctive Asian hospitality from the heart. Currently, we have over 95 hotels around the globe, with nearly half of them located in China. Being an Asian hotel brand with over 30 years’ experience in China, we have a deep understanding of Chinese guests needs. We want our guests to take away memorable and rich experiences when staying with us abroad while enjoying the cultural comforts from home,” Sarah Chen, Shangri-La’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, was quoted in the statement as saying.

According to Shangri-La, to introduce the Xiang Ju programme, 11 Shangri-La hotels and resorts from Hong Kong, Paris, London, Tokyo, Sydney, Vancouver, Toronto, Boracay, the Maldives, Mauritius and Oman presented their hotels and services to Beijing and Shanghai audiences at China World Summit Wing, Beijing on May 22 and at Jing An Shangri-La, East Shanghai on May 24.

The spa in Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa in Maldives. PHOTO/ SHANGRI-LA

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La International Hotel Management Limited, one of the world’s premier hotel management companies, currently operates over 95 hotels in 22 countries and 73 destinations under the Shangri-La, Kerry, Hotel Jen and Traders brands.

In the Maldives, Shangri-La runs the Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa in the southernmost Addu atoll and the Hotel Jen in capital Male.

Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa is located just a five-minute boat ride away from Gan International Airport, which has direct connections to neighbouring Sri Lanka as well. The luxury resort is a collection of 132 private villas nestled across emerald green jungle and stunning turquoise shoreline.

China has maintained its position as the single biggest source market despite falling numbers over the past year. In 2016, the Maldives welcomed 324,326 visitors from China, which was a 9.8 percent drop compared to the previous year. However, the Maldives recently announced plans to step up marketing in China in order to increase the number of Chinese tourists to one million per year.

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Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space

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Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has announced the opening of Feydhoo Hall, a landmark event venue at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, redefining the possibilities for meetings, celebrations, and destination events in the Maldives.

Designed to bring scale, flexibility, and creativity to island gatherings, Feydhoo Hall represents a bold step forward in positioning the Maldives as a dynamic destination for conferences, weddings, and large-scale social occasions.

Feydhoo Hall offers a versatile event complex designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and social celebrations.

At its core is the 390 sqm Main Hall, capable of hosting:

  • Up to 300 guests in theatre-style setup
  • Up to 240 guests for dining and banquet-style events
  • Up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions
  • Up to 144 guests in cluster-round configuration

Enhancing the flexibility of the venue are additional dedicated spaces, including:

  • A 110 sqm Veranda Terrace, ideal for welcome receptions, breakout sessions, and pre-event gatherings, accommodating up to 100 guests for cocktail-style events.
  • A spacious 1,000 sqm Lawn Space, perfect for large-scale outdoor celebrations, destination weddings, and open-air events, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 350 guests for dining setups.
  • The 55 sqm Ekugai Meeting Room, designed for smaller meetings and executive sessions, accommodating up to 30 guests in theatre or dining setup and 24 guests in cluster-round format.

Together, these integrated spaces create a seamless indoor-outdoor event experience, allowing planners to design dynamic and personalised event journeys.

True to the dusitD2 brand’s lifestyle-driven philosophy, Feydhoo Hall introduces a fresh approach to meetings and events — where productivity meets creativity in an inspiring island setting.

The venue offers flexible meeting formats designed to suit different event needs, including:

  • Half-Day Meeting Package (4 hours) — ideal for focused sessions, executive meetings, and creative workshops.
  • Full-Day Meeting Package (8 hours) — designed for immersive conferences, extended workshops, and large-scale corporate gatherings.

These thoughtfully structured packages provide planners with the flexibility to create impactful and seamless experiences, whether hosting intimate strategy sessions or dynamic full-day events.

Located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives combines accessibility with vibrant lifestyle energy, offering event planners and guests a rare balance between convenience and tropical escape.

With the introduction of Feydhoo Hall, the resort strengthens its position as a versatile destination — not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, creative retreats, luxury weddings, and large-scale social celebrations seeking something refreshingly different in the Maldives.

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BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet

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Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) opened a new wholesale store in Hulhumalé Phase 2 on Monday.

The outlet is located on the ground floor of Lot 20286, Nirolhu Magu, and is intended to improve access to BBM’s imported goods for residents of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and for businesses operating in the area.

According to the company, the opening forms part of its plan to expand services closer to customers in line with population growth in Hulhumalé.

With the opening of the new store, BBM’s full range of imported and distributed products will be available at the Hulhumalé Phase 2 location. These include consumer goods from international brands such as Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Unilever.

The store will also stock wholesale food products from brands including Daily, Cavin’s and Redman.

BBM has supplied goods to resorts, hotels and retail outlets across the Maldives for several years.

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Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah

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Ataraxis Grand & Spa recently hosted a week-long, closed corporate offsite in Fuvahmulah for a US-based artificial intelligence company, highlighting the island’s growing suitability for integrated work-and-experience retreats. The retreat brought a group of 36 international professionals to the property, which was reserved exclusively for the programme.

Designed as a private company offsite, the stay combined structured daily work sessions with guided diving and beginner-friendly surf experiences, creating a balanced format that blended focused collaboration with physical reset.

A notable component of the programme was dive training and certification. During the retreat, 17 participants completed their Open Water certification, while a further six undertook the Advanced Open Water course, with training and dives scheduled alongside work sessions as part of the integrated itinerary.

Throughout the week, participants worked on-site using dedicated shared spaces supported by reliable high-speed internet, allowing meetings, informal collaboration and scheduled activities to take place within a single, uninterrupted environment. This setup enabled teams to move seamlessly between work periods and organised ocean activities without leaving the property.

Fuvahmulah’s natural and operational advantages formed a key part of the retreat’s appeal. As one of the Maldives’ largest inhabited islands, it offers immediate access to pelagic dive sites, internationally recognised shark diving and surf breaks suitable for instruction, alongside the infrastructure required to support extended group stays.

The offsite reflects a growing preference among technology and knowledge-sector teams for small-scale retreats that prioritise concentrated work environments and team cohesion over traditional conference formats. Such programmes typically involve longer stays and higher per-capita spend, aligning with sustainable, quality-driven tourism models.

The retreat also demonstrates how locally operated properties such as Ataraxis Grand & Spa are supporting this shift by delivering unified environments where accommodation, workspaces, connectivity and curated experiences operate as a single programme rather than separate services.

As organisations continue to explore alternative formats for strategy sessions, team resets and creative offsites, Ataraxis Grand & Spa’s experience positions Fuvahmulah as an increasingly viable destination for integrated corporate retreats.

Ataraxis Grand & Spa offers work-and-dive retreat programmes in Fuvahmulah that combine accommodation, dedicated workspaces, high-speed connectivity and organised diving and surfing.

Further information on retreat formats and dive-inclusive stays is available via the Ataraxis Grand & Spa website.

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