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Maldives, Thomas Cook India ink strategic pact to enhance destination visibility

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In a focussed initiative to give fillip to travel to the Maldives, Thomas Cook India, India’s leading integrated travel services company has signed a strategic agreement with the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (Visit Maldives) to enhance visibility and visits to the destination.

Given positive consumer sentiment due to announcements on the vaccine and significant lockdown fatigue, Thomas Cook India’s Holiday Readiness Report (December 2020) reveals that international destinations are seeing a marked upward demand trajectory with 48 per cent of respondents keen to take an international holiday in 2021. Consumer interest in short haul destinations, including the Maldives, is significant at 50 per cent.

With Maldives having reopened its borders in July, Thomas Cook India has witnessed an encouraging increase in demand/interest. To catalyse this demand, its strategic agreement with Visit Maldives intends to create high visibility and steer India’s demand potential towards Maldives.

“We are delighted to partner with the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation to jointly promote Maldives as destination of choice for our range of Indian traveller segments — including millennials, young working professionals, ad-hoc groups of friends and families,” Rajeev Kale, President and Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, said.

“The Maldives has been an aspirational destination for Indians and our strategic intent will focus on highlighting the benefits/USPs of easy access and a free visa-on-arrival process, coupled with its eclectic vibe, stunning natural vistas and exclusive resorts to steer consideration towards Maldives and drive demand.”

Maldives holds special appeal for Indians: from its pristine blue waters, stunning panoramic vistas, exotic marine life and exciting-fun water sports to its exclusive island resort stays with unique water bungalows/ocean villas.

It is also a preferred destination for the celebration of special occasions, weddings and honeymoons as well.

Thomas Cook India intends to extend its marcom to its wide range of viable consumer segments across Leisure, B-Leisure and Corporate MICE spanning India’s metros as well as Tier Two and Three source markets.

Thomas Cook India and Visit Maldives strategic agreement will deepen the relationship between both parties, and leverage this to spotlight Maldives as a preferred destination that promises a relaxing holiday with a diversity of exciting experiences.

The partnership will also ensure a reiteration of safety and hygiene – a key aspect to build consumer confidence in travel in the Covid era.

“We have selected Thomas Cook India – India’s leading and highly respected tour operator – to commence our activation in the high potential Indian market. Currently, India ranks second among the key arrival markets to Maldives. We expect that this partnership will increase arrivals from a range of Indian traveller segments,” Thoyyib Mohamed, Managing Director of Visit Maldives, said.

“We would like to highlight that Maldives is not just a honeymoon destination, it offers a variety of experiences for a diverse range of travellers. We are definitely delighted to commence this collaboration and hope that our efforts in marketing Maldives, and improving the relationship between the two parties, will be successful.”

Assured insured secured programme

To ensure health and safety of customers, Thomas Cook India has put together a holistic three pronged customer confidence-building programme in the form of the Assured Insured-Secured that covers every aspect of physical safety as well as mental and financial security to give the customer complete peace of mind.

The company has launched several meaningful initiatives: Doctor on Call 24×7 service in partnership with Apollo Clinics; India’s first Safe Holiday Helpline, a free service offering expert guidance & assistance for safe holiday planning, visa assistance, country specific updates, on-ground health and safety measures, health certification, etc. and seamless Covid-negative certification services via a tie up with ICMR accredited labs.

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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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