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Etihad Airways cuts frequency on Maldives service
Etihad Airways has reduced frequency on its Maldives service, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hit the global aviation industry hard.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline said frequency on its Maldives service will be adjusted to one flight per day from March 23. This new schedule will be effective until April 30, it added.
“Due to the spread of the Covid-19 novel coronavirus and its continuing impact on air travel services globally, Etihad Airways continues to follow UAE and international government and regulatory authority directives and has implemented a series of consolidated network changes,” the carrier said, in a statement.
“This is also being carried out for the safety and convenience of its customers and staff, and to minimise operational disruption during this period.”
Etihad Airways currently operates a twice daily service from Abu Dhabi to Male. The airline uses a next-generation 787 Dreamliner aircraft on its daily morning service.
Etihad Airways launched daily scheduled flights between the capital cities of the United Arab Emirates and the Maldives in November 2011. Since then, the airline has increased the frequency on the Abu Dhabi-Male route to 11 services a week.
The global coronavirus outbreak has hit the Maldivian economy hard, as travel restrictions and other preventive measures affect the country’s lucrative tourism industry, which contributes the bulk of the island nation’s state revenue and foreign reserves.
From the hospitality industry to the airline sector, companies have warned that their long term survival is under threat.
Government on Thursday launched an emergency MVR 2.5 billion ($161.84 million) facility and a package of financial measures to shore up the local economy against the coronavirus pandemic.
The MVR 2.5 billion stimulus plan includes MVR 1.55 billion ($100 million) in emergency loans for businesses to meet short-term working capital needs.
The emergency facility is complemented by a package of financial measures, including a six-month moratorium on principal and interest repayments for personal and business loans sanctioned by commercial banks.
Meanwhile, Bank of Maldives (BML) has announced a $2 million short-term financing facility for the tourism industry.
The facility by the country’s largest bank allows operational resorts and guesthouses finance up to $2 million to manage their working capital requirements, with a repayment period of three years.
On March 8, Maldives reported its first cases of the novel coronavirus, as two hotel employees tested positive for Covid-19 at a luxury resort in the archipelago.
Eleven more cases — all foreigners working or staying resorts and liveaboard vessels — have since been identified. All the patients are under isolation, being treated at designated quarantine facilities.
Maldives announced a state of public health emergency on March 12, the first such declaration under a recent public health protection law.
The public health emergency declaration has allowed the government to introduce a series of unprecedented restrictive and social distancing measures, including a ban on inter-island travel of tourists, including for excursions and between resort islands.
A nationwide shut down of all guesthouses and city hotels has also been ordered. Spa facilities located on inhabited islands have also been closed.
The Maldives had closed its borders to arrivals from some of the worst-hit countries, including mainland China, Italy, Bangladesh, Iran, Spain, the United Kingdom and Malaysia. Visitors from three regions of Germany (Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg), two regions of France (Île-de-France and Grand Est) and two regions of South Korea are also banned from entering the country.
All direct flights to and from China, Italy, South Korea and Iran had also been cancelled.
Cruise ships and foreign yachts had also been banned from docking at any of the country’s ports.
The island nation had installed thermal screening cameras at its international airports.
Quarantine facilities, including designated islets from the 1,192 islands that make up the archipelago, had been established.
Featured
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa unveils family-focused Family Fun Summer package
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa has introduced its Family Fun Summer offer, a family-focused package designed to encourage guests to spend time together through dining, leisure and recreational activities in a private island setting.
Located 15 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the resort is offering the package as a year-round experience, despite its summer branding. The programme is intended for families seeking a stay that combines accommodation, meals and activities in a single offering.
The experience includes daily breakfast at Feast, where guests can access buffet selections for adults and children. Lunch is served as a three-course beachside meal, while evenings include buffet dinners, à la carte options and access to the resort’s speciality restaurants.
As part of the package, adult guests receive a USD 45 dining credit per night, which can be used at selected outlets including Baan Thai and Sea Salt. The offer is designed to expand dining options within the resort’s full board arrangement.
The package also includes activities aimed at different age groups. Children have access to the Sheraton Adventure Club, while families can take part in pool activities, water sports, sunset dolphin cruises and guided snorkelling excursions.
For guests seeking wellness experiences, Shine Spa for Sheraton offers a range of treatments, with the package including 15 per cent savings on selected services. The resort has also introduced a spa experience designed for parent and child. Additional recreational options include sunrise beach yoga, as well as access to tennis and football facilities.
Other inclusions within the offer include a complimentary family photoshoot and dining benefits for children when eating with their parents.
Family Fun Summer is available for booking until 15 June 2026, for stays through to 20 December 2026. Through the package, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa is presenting a family-oriented resort experience centred on dining, recreation and shared time together.
Featured
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau to mark Mother’s Day with wellness and dining offerings
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort has announced a Mother’s Day programme centred on wellness, dining and family experiences, offering guests a range of activities designed to mark the occasion in Raa Atoll.
Set within the resort’s island setting, the programme will feature a series of experiences aimed at encouraging families to spend time together through relaxation, dining and shared activities.
At AVI Spa, the Mother’s Day offering will include signature treatments focused on rest and balance. Guests will also have access to holistic sessions led by visiting practitioner Dr Afsana Aradhana Ghyas, whose work focuses on integrative wellbeing and emotional balance.
Dining experiences will form a central part of the programme. These will include floating breakfasts served in private villas, interactive cooking sessions with the resort’s chefs, and private dining experiences ranging from sunset beach dinners to sandbank dining under the stars.
The resort will also offer family-focused activities for the occasion. These will include craft sessions for children, ocean-inspired guided art activities and a family photoshoot intended to capture the day’s experiences.
Through the Mother’s Day programme, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort is presenting a combination of wellness, dining and family activities shaped around personal and shared experiences in a resort setting.
Drink
W Maldives unveils The Wavemaker Edit with global talent collaborations
W Maldives has launched The Wavemaker Edit, a new ongoing series of curated collaborations with international talent, aimed at introducing a range of guest experiences across mixology, wellness, cuisine and music.
The series is designed as a rotating programme, with each edition bringing a different creative perspective to the resort. According to W Maldives, the initiative is intended to create a continuing calendar of experiences that combine social, cultural and wellness-led elements.
The first edition of The Wavemaker Edit will run from 3 to 14 June 2026 and will feature two themed chapters, titled Island Alchemy and The Restore Ritual.
Island Alchemy will focus on mixology. On 3 June, Kwok will lead a guest shift at SIP, presenting three cocktails that explore contrast and balance, including a bespoke creation inspired by the Maldives. The collaboration will continue on 6 June at WET Deck, where a poolside day party will feature a curated cocktail menu.
The second chapter, The Restore Ritual, will centre on wellness and movement in recognition of Global Wellness Day. Led by Mumbai-based yoga and movement educator Samiksha Shetty, the programme will include sessions focused on breathwork, mindfulness and alignment-based practice.
The wellness programme will include Sunset Yoga sessions at FIRE Beach on 12 and 14 June, as well as a morning meditation session at AWAY Spa on 13 June. The main event within this chapter will take place on 13 June, when guests will be able to join a Sunset Yoga session aboard the Horizon Yacht. This bookable experience will also include healthy refreshments and a 60-minute massage at AWAY Spa.
W Maldives said future editions of The Wavemaker Edit will expand into culinary, music and art-led experiences under a number of themed series, including Flavors Unscripted, Sound Wave and Make A Scene.
Commenting on the launch, General Manager Amila Handunwala said the initiative reflects the resort’s approach to continuously evolving the guest experience through collaborations with international talent.
W Maldives is positioning the series as part of its broader effort to offer more structured and experience-led programming for guests. In addition, the resort is promoting its Original Wavemaker package, which includes seaplane transfers and a half-board meal plan for two adults with a minimum stay of four nights.
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