Business
Mark Stanton appointed Director of Food and Beverage Operations at JA Manafaru

JA Resorts and Hotels has appointed Mark Stanton as Director of Food and Beverage Operations at its award-winning Maldives property, JA Manafaru.

Mark; trained by world class restaurateurs and hoteliers.
Mark, who is from Canada, has been trained by world class restaurateurs and hoteliers. He started out as a sommelier having studied at institutes, including The Culinary Institute of American Professional Wine Studies in Napa Valley, California, USA. He has travelled all wine regions of the world and enjoyed winemaker events in iconic estates such as Chateau Margaux, Chateau Mouton Rothchild, Opus One and Grange.
“With his strong sommelier and operational management background, Mark will focus on producing new and creative outlet concepts to diversify and specialise the existing offering, to ensure that JA Manafaru continues to be the perfect setting for guests to create amazing memories,” a statement issued by the Dubai based international hospitality group read.
Mark’s appointment comes as JA Resorts and Hotels named Rob Cunningham as Vice President of Food and Beverage across the brand.
Rob officially began his culinary career at the age of 16 and during the past 33 years he has risen through the ranks from Chef to Vice President of Food and Beverage. He started in Australia, working in some of the most well-regarded restaurants in both Sydney and Melbourne, which opened doors for him to work in Michelin stared restaurants across Europe.
Rob joins JA Resorts and Hotels from Indonesia where he was praised for his conceptualisation and opening of new and popular restaurant concepts in Jakarta and Bali. Prior to that he spent over nine years in China and Japan.
Rob will be responsible for restaurant and bar repositioning across JA Resorts and Hotels in Dubai, Maldives, Seychelles, which will cover the development of all new concepts for existing and any new properties and revamping some old JA favourites. This is an exciting period for the brand, as it unveils new restaurants and bars that will be designed and developed with the customer experience in mind.
“This year we have brought on board industry specialists with proven track records to drive JA Resorts and Hotels’ food and beverage offering to another level. Rob is tasked with creating restaurants which will not only service the strong international tourist market that JA enjoys, but that also resonate with local Dubai residents due to exceptional food quality, innovative design, warm and friendly service and reasonable prices. This is a key strategy in enhancing our appeal and becoming the most attractive hotels and resorts for multi-generational family holidays,” JA Resorts and Hotels CEO Anthony Ross was quoted in a statement, as saying.
In the Maldives, JA Resorts and Hotels runs the private island resort of JA Manafaru.
Accessible via a 75-minute seaplane flight from the main Velana International Airport or by a 45-minute domestic flight to Hanimaadhoo Airport followed by a 35-minute luxury speedboat transfer, JA Manafaru is a peaceful haven situated in the northernmost atoll of Haa Alif, where world-class service is delivered amidst dazzling turquoise waters, white sand beaches, distinct Maldivian architecture and lush vegetation.
A total of 83 villas and suites, each with their own private plunge pool are dotted throughout the spacious island.
Additionally, guests can find island bliss with over eight spa treatment rooms at the award-winning Calm Spa, gourmet galore at one of seven restaurants and create lasting memories with water sports such as scuba diving, jet skiing and kayaking.
Business
Villa Resorts hosts over 200 travel agents from India to showcase its transformation

Villa Resorts, a leading Maldivian resort group, recently hosted a series of events for over 200 travel agents from India.
The events were held to highlight the company’s recent rebranding and to familiarise travel agents with the significant changes made as part of its strategic Blue Ocean Shift.
Villa Resorts has a significant market presence in India, and the events were part of the company’s ongoing efforts to work closely with its partners to showcase its transformation and enhancements in its products and services.
The familiarisation events drew over 200 participants, making it one of the largest series of events for travel agents ever hosted by a Maldivian resort group.
Villa Resorts plans to continue hosting similar events throughout the coming year to promote its growing portfolio of resorts to the Indian market.
Business
‘Get Charged and Win’ promotion: Four draws, countless winners, more to go

The ‘Get Charged and Win’ promotion, which launched with great fanfare on June 23, continues to captivate audiences across the nation with its promise of incredible prizes and adrenaline-pumping excitement. As Coca-Cola moves forward, the company has announced not one, but four draws that have rewarded lucky winners with exciting prizes!
The ‘Get Charged and Win’ promotion has been a huge success, with dozens of lucky winners taking home amazing prizes, such as Benelli motorbikes, helmets, and Charged drink cases. The promotion, which started on June 23, has been attracting customers from all over the Maldives, who have been enjoying the refreshing taste of Charged caffeinated beverage and the thrill of scratching their cards to reveal their codes.
So far, four draws have taken place, each one broadcasted live on Television Maldives (TVM) at 9:30pm. The winners of the Benelli motorbikes were Mohamed Adam, MD Musharraf, Mohamed Rasel Hossain and Ahmed Zahir who were ecstatic to receive their prizes and thanked Charged for making their dreams come true. The winners of the helmets and drink cases were also delighted with their rewards and encouraged others to join the promotion.
But don’t worry if you haven’t won yet, because there are still more chances to win! The ‘Get Charged and Win’ promotion is not over yet. That means you still have time to grab your favourite Charged drink, scratch your card, and send your code to 2626 via SMS.
As the exciting journey continues, there are two main draws left in this thrilling event, scheduled for September 24 and October 20. You could be the next lucky winner of a Benelli Leoncino 250 motorbike! But the excitement doesn’t stop there; be sure to keep an eye out for the daily draws, with winners announced regularly on the @ChargedMaldives Instagram page. You could stand a chance to win a Charged branded helmet, or a Charged drink case.
Charged, a ground-breaking addition to Coca-Cola Maldives’ beverage portfolio, is available in 250 ml, in 100% recyclable aluminium cans, in line with our packaging strategy to use 100% recyclable packaging material. The caffeinated beverage is now widely available at major retail outlets, hotels, restaurants, and cafes throughout the Maldives.
Business
JEN Maldives Malé by Shangri-La unveils Oro’s 100% Arabica Rose Coffee

JEN Maldives Malé by Shangri-La has introduced a special coffee to their collection – Oro’s 100% Arabica Rose Coffee. This latest addition to the menu of Jen’s Kitchen On-the-Go aims to provide coffee lovers with the unique and delicate taste of Oro’s Arabica Rose.
The hotel was alive with excitement on Thursday evening with the launch of Oro’s 100% Arabica rose. Media personnel and coffee enthusiasts were treated to an exclusive tasting experience of freshly brewed Arabica Rose Coffee along with some tasty finger foods.
The highlight of the evening was a lucky draw giveaway, extending an invitation for all the guests to participate and win a Skechers Maldives voucher and coffee voucher from Jen’s Kitchen On-the-Go.
Oro’s Arabica Rose Coffee is now available at Jen’s Kitchen on-the-go. It is the perfect spot to refuel with coffee, tea, freshly squeezed juices, or a light bite. Customers can now enroll to become a Shangri-La Circle Member and earn points with every purchase at Jen’s Kitchen On- the-Go and enjoy the rewards at Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts worldwide.
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