Maldivian freediver Umair Badheeu has achieved a new national record with a dive to a depth of 62 meters in the bi-fin category. His accomplishment was made possible with the support of Kaimoo Resorts and Hotels, a key sponsor and advocate for Umair’s pursuit of excellence in freediving.

Competing among 14 international participants, Umair’s performance not only secured a new national record but also surpassed his previous bi-fin category record of 60 meters by a margin of two meters.

Reflecting on the challenges of transitioning from his training in Egypt to competing in the Philippines, Umair said: “Adapting to reduced buoyancy due to warmer waters and encountering jellyfish were part of the new environment.”

This marks the third national record Umair has achieved. He previously set two national records of 62 and 64 meters in the free immersion category of free diving at the Andrea Zuccari World Cup held in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt in October. Free immersion freediving is a discipline that requires divers to descend and ascend pulling a rope.

Umair’s switch from training in free immersion in Egypt to the bi-fin category for this tournament demonstrated his adaptability: “It felt like shifting gears, utilising distinct techniques, and returning to a more familiar discipline. This dive marks a confident depth for me, focusing not just on depth but also on refining dive times for a more enjoyable experience,” he remarked.

“Kaimoo’s support has been instrumental, offering me the freedom to train. This support has allowed me to focus on honing my skills and achieving new heights in my freediving,” Umair added.

“Umair’s third record-breaking dive this year is a testament to his exceptional skill and determination. Kaimoo is thrilled to continue supporting Umair’s journey in the world of freediving. His achievements inspire us, and we congratulate him on this impressive feat, looking for-ward to his continued success,” said Mohamed Manih Ahmed, Kaimoo’s Managing Director.

With this record-breaking achievement, Umair now looks forward to a period of rest before gearing up for the upcoming freediving season.

Kaimoo Resorts and Hotels is a leading tourism company in the Maldives that manages five properties across the country. In addition to Embudu Village and Summer Island Maldives, Kaimoo also operates Equator Village in Addu Atoll, and the Mookai Hotel and Mookai Suites in Male’.

Visit Maldives has collaborated with ‘Surf Session’, a media platform dedicated to surfing. An exciting familiarisation trip and a digital campaign was conducted to promote the Maldives as a leading surf destination in the French market. The digital campaign was conducted on social media and the Surf Session website.

During the first part of the campaign, a young surfer, Kyllian Guerin, accompanied Surf Session on a week-long trip where he surfed and explored the best waves of the Maldives. Ayada Maldives, Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi, and Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives hosted this familiarisation trip. Kyllians’ journey was captured and brand content in the form of Instagram stories, posts, articles and banners were disseminated on Kyllian Guerin and Surf Session social media platforms and official website. As for the second part of the campaign, digital and print articles highlighted the surf lifestyle in the Maldives and were published on Surf Session website. Additionally, an exciting video of Kyllian’s journey in the Maldives was posted on YouTube, showcasing the beauty of the surf spots of the destination.

The campaign strengthened Maldives’ presence as a premium surf destination and drove excitement among Surf Session’s readership and surfing community. The campaign increased visibility for French surfers and further strengthened the Maldives brand in the French market. Collaborating with prestigious media like Surf Session and influential personalities like Kyllian Guerin allows MMPRC to capture the attention of potential surfers and travel enthusiasts alike, encouraging them to choose the Maldives as their preferred holiday destination. The entire campaign resulted in over a collective reach of 919,209.00.

The current ranking of France is at #8 with 41,072 arrivals as of 31st October 2023. MMPRC is consistently promoting the Maldives in the French market through various marketing activities. This year, we conducted a campaign with Vogue France and IFTM Top Resa 2023. We also plan to promote the Maldives at ILTM Cannes 2023 later this year. These marketing activities ensure the Maldives remain a top-of-mind destination for travellers from the French market.

Kagi Maldives Resort & Spa, the five-star, 50-villa boutique resort in the North Malé Atoll, has just launched the first pickleball court in the Maldives adding a new dimension of sports and recreation to this luxury boutique island.

For the third year in a row, pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States. There are currently 36.5 million pickleball players estimated in the U.S. It is also growing in popularity in the rest of the world with over 270** courts in the UK. The International Federation of Pickleball now lists more than 60-member nations, from India and Germany to Sweden and Peru.

With the introduction of the Maldives’ first pickleball court, Kagi Maldives Resort & Spa continues to raise the bar by offering guests a unique and fun way to stay active in this idyllic setting. Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. It is easy for beginners to pick up yet provides a thrilling and competitive experience for those with more experience. Kagi is now also welcoming families with guests of all ages.

The court at Kagi Maldives Resort & Spa is built to international standards and features an all-weather surface, ensuring guests can enjoy the sport year-round. The resort provides complimentary equipment for its guests, ensuring that they have all they need to fully enjoy this fast-paced and exciting sport.

“Our newly unveiled Pickleball Court is yet another testament to our dedication to providing diverse leisure activities for all ages and interests,” said Areef Ahmed, General Manager of Kagi Maldives Resort & Spa.

After a game of pickleball, guests can relax at the Baani Spa, the largest over-water spa in the Maldives. Designed by the award-winning New York -based Japanese architect Yuji Yamazaki, the 1500 m2 Baani Spa has a beautiful, open-air teardrop-shaped roof and a yoga pavilion which sits on stilts above the ocean. The meaning of Baani is healthy and joyful living.

In addition, Kagi is surrounded by one of the Maldives’ most diverse and untouched house reefs, home to over 150 different marine creatures. Snorkelling is accessible straight from the beach or directly from the stairs of the overwater villas showcasing healthy corals, a plentiful variety of tropical fish, sea creatures, sea turtles, rays, reef sharks, moray eels and even nurse sharks to guests.

Kagi is committed to its sustainability efforts and to preserve the pristine nature of the previously undisturbed house reef, all water sports offered at the resort are non-motorised. Kagi’s first coral nursery of over 15 coral fragments has also been established, all growing under supervision before being transported back into the ocean reef.

With just 50 villas, guests can choose from three room types: a Beach Pool Villa, a Lagoon Pool Villa, or an Ocean Pool Villa, all of which are distinguished by their unique locations and house a private pool, a sun deck, and an expansive indoor-outdoor bathroom.