Business
Coca-Cola commits new investments to Maldives
Coca-Cola, a total beverage company refreshing Maldivians with a wide range of beverages from soft drinks to water, is expanding its packaging offerings in Maldives with a new, first-of-its-kind canning line in the country. Launched as part of the company’s commitment to introduce sustainable packaging solutions, the new investment by Coca-Cola’s bottling partner in Maldives, Male’ Aerated Water Company, allows for the first time ever the company’s much-loved beverages to be packaged in cans manufactured directly in the island nation.
Coca-Cola is taking bold steps to enable and promote solutions that effectively tackle plastic pollution and create a circular economy around the use of its packaging. Sprite recently transformed its packaging from the famous green bottle to a clear one. It has a higher chance of being collected, recycled and reused, thus creating a circular solution for plastic in the Maldives. The entire beverage range offered by The Company is available in glass bottles too across Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Schweppes and Bon Aqua.
“At the Male’ Aerated Water Company, we are committed to creating economic opportunities through new investments. As we stay true to our aim of better serving consumers and the tourism sector, we are also keen to engage with the government in exploring ways to create a circular economy around our packaging and tackle plastic pollution in the Maldives,” said Mr. Sanjay Maniku, Managing Director of Male’ Aerated Water Company.
The canning line at Male’ Aerated Water Company’s bottling plant on the Thulusdhoo Island adds to Coca-Cola’s efforts to innovate and expand its packaging offerings in Maldives. Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta Orange, Fanta Strawberry, and Schweppes ranges are now available in ‘Made in Maldives’ cans, in capacities of 330ml and 185ml.
In addition to the packaging transformations, Coca-Cola has also forged strong partnerships with local organisations that are involved in practical solutions to address plastic waste. Voluntarily implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Maldives, Coca-Cola together with its partners is giving a new life to the 100% recyclable and versatile PET plastic packaging through large scale collection efforts. These initiatives contribute to Coca-Cola’s vision to create a circular economy for plastic and a better shared future that makes a difference in people’s lives, communities, and our planet.
“Coca-Cola continues to foster sustainability initiatives through effective on-the-ground investments in PET collection and knowledge sharing to make the Maldives and the world a better place for all. We remain committed to investing in scalable models to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle our packaging,” said Mr. Pankaj Sinha, Managing Director for Coca-Cola in the Maldives.
Coca-Cola is one of the world’s most famous and best-loved brands and has been refreshing the world for 136 years. The Coca-Cola Company, through its bottling partner, Male’ Aerated Water Company, has introduced a range of hydrating and delicious beverages to Maldives, including Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Bon Aqua and Schweppes. The Coca-Cola brand has also sought to brighten consumers’ lives through a variety of engaging projects and activities.
Male’ Aerated Water Company began manufacturing beverages in Maldives and has been serving Coca-Cola products to people in the Maldives for over 32 years now. The company remains to date one of the few manufacturers in the Maldives. It is also a major job creator in the country with over 330+ employees working across a range of sectors from manufacturing and distribution to sales and marketing.
Maldives on Thursday welcomed the one millionth tourist to visit this year.
The one millionth tourist is a Thai named Sutapa Amonwivat, who arrived from Singapore with her husband and two children. This is her second visit to Maldives.
Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) and the Ministry of Tourism gave a warm welcome to Sutapa at the Velana International Airport (VIA) Thursday afternoon. She was welcomed at the VIA by tourism minister Ibrahim Faisal, MMPRC Managing Director Ibrahim Shiury and senior officials of various relevant agencies.
After welcoming her with traditional offerings, she was presented with various gifts by the ministry, MMPRC, customs, immigration, Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) and Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA).
Maldives reached one million tourists in June, three weeks earlier than last year. The number of tourists reached one million on July 16, 2023.
Maldives expects to reach 2 million tourists this year.
Chongqing Airlines on Monday began its inaugural flights to Maldives.
The Chongqing-Male route, scheduled three times a week, is expected to strengthen the bonds between China and the Maldives, opening up exciting new opportunities for tourism and cultural exchange.
The inaugural flight was welcomed upon its arrival at Velana International Airport (VIA) in Maldives, where local officials and tourism representatives expressed their enthusiasm for this new development.
“We warmly welcome our friends from China to our beautiful islands. This new connection strengthens our bonds and opens up new opportunities for tourism,” the tourism ministry said on X.
Maldives currently welcomes four airlines from China, including China Eastern, Beijing Capital Airlines, Xiamen Airlines.
In January, Maldives government urged tourism stakeholders in both Maldives and China to ramp up efforts to restore China’s position as the primary source market for Maldives tourism, a status held before the onset of Covid-19.
China, being the largest source market for Maldives tourism before the pandemic, saw a resumption of tourist arrivals from January 2023 after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. In 2023, the Maldives welcomed 187,118 Chinese tourists, marking a significant recovery in numbers. This year, the Maldives has welcomed the most number of tourists from China, with over 107,940 or 11.5 percent of total arrivals by June 12.
CROSSROADS Maldives has introduced WeChat Pay, widely known as Weixin Pay in China, across its world-class resorts, SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton, and Hard Rock Hotel Maldives. This payment option is made available to enhance the convenience and overall experience for guests from China, making their stay in the Maldives more enjoyable and hassle-free.
Understanding the needs of the diverse guests, CROSSROADS Maldives has integrated WeChat Pay into operations, allowing guests from China to easily and securely conduct transactions using a payment method familiar to them. The introduction of WeChat Pay is a testament to CROSSROADS Maldives’ dedication to enhancing guest satisfaction by offering exceptional experiences at every turn. What is also expected through this initiative is that the guests could benefit from better foreign exchange rates, translating to better savings on their expenditures during their stay.
The option is available for guests in-house conveniently at both resorts as well as across the Marina at CROSSROADS Maldives where a wider variety of unparalleled dining and retail experiences are available for all guests. The day visitors from China will also therefore equally benefit from this new introduction at the Maldives’ premier multi-island integrated leisure destination.
SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton, is a vibrant tropical escape that offers unique and locally inspired experiences. The resort features spacious rooms and villas, a variety of dining options, and an array of recreational activities designed to cater to the desires of modern travellers. Guests can escape to the island’s SAiisational natural beauty, enjoy water sports, and indulge in spa treatments, all while relishing the personalised service that defines Hilton’s Curio Collection.
Hard Rock Hotel Maldives brings the iconic Hard Rock spirit to the tranquil shores of the Maldives. This family-friendly resort offers a perfect blend of relaxation and entertainment, featuring music-inspired experiences, live performances, and the brand’s signature amenities. With luxurious accommodations, diverse dining options, and a plethora of activities for all ages, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives ensures an unforgettable holiday experience for every guest.
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