Hotel Insider - Maldives (Issue No. 12)

ISSUE NO. 12

THE RECOVERY ISSUE

Back of the Haus - Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa

Cover Story - From Green Shoots To Full Bloom Conversation - Dr Abdulla Mausoom

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CONTENTS

24 COVER STORY: FROM GREEN SHOOTS TO FULL BLOOM

We witnessed the tourism sector that the country depended upon for growth, jobs and foreign currency being shut down. Things appear to have turned a corner, however.

Features 10

CONVERSATION - DR ABDULLA MAUSOOM

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Hotel Insider talks with the minister of tourism Dr Abdulla Mausoom about the Maldives’ stunning shift towards recovery, the minister’s expectations for the industry and more.

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UNDP starts a conversation on social innovation where the brightest young minds come together to find ingenious solutions.

BACK OF THE HAUS - EMERALD MALDIVES RESORT & SPA

Hotel Insider travels up north to Raa Atoll to discover what Emerald Maldives does behind the scenes to reduce waste and help the environment.

IN THE BOARDROOM - SALIL PETER

Hotel Insider chats with Salil Peter who heads purchasing for the Sun Siyam Group.

Though the past two years have been hard on the group, Salil thinks there’s reason to be optimistic.

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Mark is now leading one of the Maldives’ glitziest resorts up in North Male Atoll and we have a chat about this new chapter in luxury.

28 UNDP MALDIVES

WORD FROM THE TOP - MARK HEHIR

Hotel Insider

(continued on page 6)

ON THE COVER: The sprawling deck of an overwater villa at Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa.

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Contents

EDITORIAL Mariyam Athif Editor Nashiu Zahir Managing Editor Ahmed Naish Editorial Consultant Fathimath Sham'aa Senior Editorial Staff

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MARKETING & SALES Mohamed Shinan Marketing & Sales Consultant Mohamed Yazeed Abdul Sattar Marketing & Sales Consultant Ali Kausar Print Advertising PRODUCTION Fathimath Nahuza Operations Manager Aishath Hamdha Administrative Intern CONTRIBUTORS Abdulla Muaz Photo/Multimedia Editor Ahmed Razeen Photographer

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WORKING WOMEN - MUSHLA AHMED

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Here are the Maldives’ top stories in one convenient place for your consumption.

Hotel Insider visits Raa Atoll to meet with Mushla Ahmed, a young, up-and-coming kids’ club manager at Emerald Maldives Resort and Spa.

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44 SPOTLIGHT - DR. SOL MILNE

Dr. Sol is an environmental scientist studying animal systems and the impact humans have on natural habitats. He’s previously worked in the rainforests of Borneo, now he’s here in the Maldives.

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Hotel Insider

BUSINESS BULLETIN - NOVEMBER & DECEMBER

Printed by M7 Print (960) 330 7787 print@m7maldives.com

MARKETPLACE

A quick guide to suppliers, financial institutions, basically everyone useful for people such as yourself.

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From the Editor

A time for recovery

Welcome dear readers to our first issue since the pandemic. This is a subject we address in this edition, please have a look at the cover story.

Things seem to look promising, although we believe COVID-19 is now a reality we must try and live with, with minimal disruptions to our daily lives. It seems unlikely that it can ever be eradicated as mutations appear to be the norm.

Yet we have much to be thankful for – especially as far as tourism in the Maldives is concerned. We have interviewed the minister of tourism Abdulla Mausoom who is full of optimism for the coming year. Two million is a target that can easily be achieved, he says, other things being equal.

We’ve also had a chat with Mark Hehir, who oversees the ultra-luxe Ritz Carlton Maldives Fari Islands, a very interesting resort sharing an island with two other equally

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stunning properties. We talk about this new chapter in luxury and what it means for the Maldives.

Hotel Insider went over to Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa up north in Raa to interview a very special young woman, Mushla Ahmed, who manages their excellent Kids’ Club.

Her talents were recognised early on and she was promoted quickly.

We’ve also changed things around a bit, as you will see. Hotel Insider now aims to be your go-to source for stories of interest on economic and major political matters as well.

We hope you enjoy this read. We would love your feedback. Email us at info@hotelinsidermv.com Have a thrilling festive season.

If you have missed our previous issue please find a digital copy from the links below. https://bit.ly/3DTtYfZ

Mariyam Athif Editor

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Conversation

Dr Abdulla Mausoom Hotel Insider sits with Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism, to talk about the Maldives’ stunning shift towards recovery, the minister’s expectations for the industry, important successes like the establishment of a travel bubble with a major source market, and when we can truly say we’re back in business.

Hotel Insider: Since reopening in July 2020, tourist arrivals have outperformed expectations. What do you think are the main factors behind this robust recovery?

Abdulla Mausoom: It has met our expectations, initially we projected 750,000, later we adjusted for one million and we reached this target ahead of time. So it became 1.3 million.

I think one of the main factors is our geographical advantage – the one island-one resort concept really helped.

We also had a very unified approach, with President’s office overseeing COVID-19 management and tourism management. Both public and private sectors were working together, and their contributions were key to our recovery too.

We also received the vaccine much earlier than anticipated and the government prioritised tourism sector employees for vaccination. That was an important contribution along with the good word-ofmouth from the tourists. Also, excellent foreign relations played a key role as well as establishing travel corridors with nearby mega-market India.

We have a very simple protocol – we wanted to ensure that we kept tourism going with the 10

Hotel Insider

greatest possible levels of safety for the tourists, industry workers and the public. We were very transparent.

Plus, the commitment from the airlines in the early days and from tourist properties, who chose to operate on a loss. We worked with the notion ‘together we can’. All of these factors contributed greatly to our recovery.

Hotel Insider: How much of a gamble was reopening borders to visitors from all countries? Could you explain the decisionmaking process and do you think the Maldives benefited from a ‘first mover advantage’?

Abdulla Mausoom: Keeping the border closed was never an option, we had to find out how to operate during the crisis and re-open our borders to everyone. It was a hard, courageous decision taken by the President, taken after a lengthy consultation process with all relevant stakeholders. We had the blessings of international organisations, other nations and our geography played to our advantage. After we opened up, in the first two weeks we saw less than a thousand tourists. As the weeks went by though, we realised we were on the right track.

Uncertainty remained of course, and we were very cautious – we wanted to make sure we

Hotel Insider

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Conversation

had reasonable safety. The one island-one resort concept was our testing ground, it formed natural bubbles for controlling COVID. Having the country prepared for any medical eventuality, we opened with infrastructure in place for managing incidents should they occur.

The Maldives was also a forerunner in many campaigns, we conducted a lot of PR related activities to enhance and maintain the Maldives’ global presence. With collaboration from MACL, the department of immigration and our ministry, we started the first loyalty programme for a country. We were ahead of the pack in getting the WTO tourism and travel council’s safety stamp. We introduced a domestic COVID insurance scheme, and an inbound insurance scheme that was among the first of its kind. We got the world’s leading destination award in the wake of 3-V tourism and CNN dubbed us as the ‘international tourism success story of 2020’.

Hotel Insider: A key part of your job since assuming office last year must have been negotiating with governments that had issued travel advisories against visiting the Maldives. What challenges did you face in those talks? And what were some notable successes?

Abdulla Mausoom: I think the President’s foreign policy and the foreign minister Abdulla Shahid’s proactive engagement along with the engagement of our foreign missions and our desire to be part of the global arena helped overcome serious challenges, while we were ‘alienated’ from the global community some years back. Each country would have its own measures and protocols, of course.

Nonetheless, as I’ve mentioned earlier, we managed to establish a travel bubble with India, which is now a major source market, and we were in negotiations with other countries to do the same. We have reasonable ease of travel with almost all nations. We were saddened that the UK had us on a red list after the South Asian ‘spike’. I think we encouraged confidence through our transparency and we took care of everybody who visited. And tourists real felt cared for, they spread the word that the Maldives was safe. And of 12

Hotel Insider

"In 2019, we saw 1.7 million tourists. And right now, we’ve almost reached that level without all of these key markets. I’d say two million is actually ‘easy peasy’." course, the statistics of cases and vaccine rates helped immensely.

Hotel Insider: Both the World Bank and the Maldives Monetary Authority forecast 1.4 million tourist arrivals for 2022. The former does not expect the record 1.7 million arrivals of 2019 to be reached until 2023. But your forecast for next year is two million tourists. What are the reasons for your optimism?

Abdulla Mausoom: You have to consider that right now, we are here without China, which contributed 19 percent to the market, and also Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand. We don’t have these markets at the moment. Soon, though, we are going to have new air connections. Mongolian tourists, for instance, are going to start coming. We are hoping China will open at least by the last quarter of next year. As it is, we’re at the 2019 levels of monthly arrivals. In 2019, we saw 1.7 million tourists. And right now, we’ve almost reached that level without all of these key markets. I’d say two million is actually ‘easy peasy’.

Hotel Insider: The temporary closure of borders to South Asian countries and the impact of the Delta variant on traditional markets earlier this year caused significant setbacks. What external factors or risks that could threaten the recovery concern you the most?

Abdulla Mausoom: That was the time that I had a strong debate with the HPA and with some media. My argument was that our spike had nothing to do with South Asian tourists. It had more to do with the local council election at the time, and immediately after that we had

Ramadan – it was again a time where families and friends drew close physically. Maldives figures also hit the ceiling at this time, but before we closed the border, the South Asian tourists who visited us had negative PCR tests.

And those who left also had negative PCR tests.

Hotel Insider: What criteria should we use to judge whether the industry has fully recovered? Is it the rehiring of all laid off workers or the restoration of deducted pay and pre-pandemic levels of revenue for resorts? When do you expect this to happen?

Abdulla Mausoom: Those two factors you’ve mentioned are very important determinants. The government invested a lot in sustaining small and medium businesses through loan schemes. Right now, I’d say we’re almost there in terms of facilities in operation, but among the hardest hit areas is Addu City, whose two main resorts closed with COVID. I think they closed out of panic, they did not envision our recovery. But I’m happy that at least one resort is expected to open in the coming months. So, the resorts need to be open, and the small and medium industries around tourism need to be back to their pre-pandemic levels, as well as employment in this sector. But of course, though we’re very happy to have almost made it out of the wilderness, the industry recorded huge losses. And unlike other types of businesses, in tourism if a day is lost, it is lost.

Those who had a healthy cashflow are back in business while others are having a harder time. But many high market resorts had the best December last year. I hope 2022 will be the golden year for us, and that we will be truly back in business.

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UNDP Maldives

Social Innovation: An Opportunity for Youth in Maldives Civic Engagement For People, For Planet, For Prosperity The pandemic has been a protracted crisis that did a 180 on our lives.

The impact of COVID-19 in the Maldives was deep, widespread, and cross-cutting.

Wave after wave of lockdowns had major repercussions on employment, livelihoods and knock-on effects on families and communities.

Those who were least equipped to cope were the hardest hit. Youth employment was at an all-time low while women especially bore the brunt, facing the extra burdens of childcare, unpaid domestic work, and increased genderbased violence. The cracks were mercilessly exposed, revealing the need for innovative solutions.

Enter Miyaheli Social Innovation Camp.

First started in 2016 by UNDP and Ooredoo Maldives, with the support of the Government of Australia and in collaboration with several partners, such as Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Miyaheli aims to empower youth to become changemakers in society reaching them at the grassroots - where ingenious and resourceful solutions are borne out of lived realities to overcome societal issues and daily challenges.

The camp focuses on equipping young people with the necessary critical thinking and problem-solving skills to foster social entrepreneurship and design innovative, sustainable solutions to pressing issues in Maldivian society.

The term Miyaheli is derived from a season in the indigenous Maldivian calendar developed by our ancestors to calculate geospecific weather conditions - of particular importance for farmers, fishermen and seafarers. Miyaheli is the season when it’s

best to sow your agricultural seeds. Like its namesake, the camp allows young people from across the Maldive Islands to come together and exchange ideas with like-minded individuals. It is a space for the youth to plant their ideas, nurture them to become viable solutions and work on growing them into reality: something that during the pandemic becomes an expression of resilience and opportunity that can be scaled towards the nation-wide contribution to the COVID-19 recovery phase.

One such innovative solution that came out of the social innovation camps is ‘Binheyo’, one of the winning ideas of the first virtual Miyaheli held, right in the middle of the pandemic. ‘Binheyo’ is an urban farming plus farm-to-table project, conceptualised with the aim of addressing the food security and unemployment issues created by the pandemic – problems which will no doubt be exacerbated by the ongoing climate crisis. By introducing a generation of young people to urban farming and using their locally grown fresh produce to launch a farm-to-table movement in the Maldives, ‘Binheyo’ hopes to build resilience and promote sustainable development, while allowing youth to take charge of the world they want.

“Miyaheli gave me the confidence to ask for help,” said Ahmed Niyaz, co-founder of ‘Binheyo’. “The youth are active. We are willing to do the work towards future development, but we need help and support to empower us. Give us a chance, help us build back better.”

In tune with building back better and forming more resilient communities is Blue

Hearts, another winning idea from Miyaheli.

Blue Hearts is currently a non-profit NGO working towards providing accessible mental health support and normalising open mental health discussions to promote help-seeking behaviours among the public. They are also the first organisation to provide live chatbased mental health support in the Maldives, a much-needed service during the onset of the pandemic.

Multiple lockdowns and lack of access to mental health professions had left people – especially those from atolls – feeling desolate, anxious, and helpless.

“Miyaheli helped fine-tune a very rough idea I had and made it more realistic and attainable,” explained Mariyam Shiba, founder and CEO of Blue Hearts. “Getting started was challenging, but it was a great experience and has paved the way for so many opportunities.

Over the past two years we’ve built on the foundation that Miyaheli helped develop, and I’m hopeful that the path we are on will impact others in a meaningful way.”

‘Binheyo’ and Blue Hearts are proof of the social good and innovative solutions that can come out of empowering youth and giving them a chance at tackling issues that matter to them, and that will create a defining impact - one of the main tenets of the Miyaheli Social Innovation Camp.

The 6th cycle of Miyaheli recently concluded in October 2021, which - as recovery from the pandemic gains momentum - was a ray of hope that brought together (this time in person), more youth who once again delivered game-changing social innovations.

Written by Iyath Adam Shareef, UNDP Maldives Photos by Ashwa Faheem and Iyath Adam Shareef Join UNDP Maldives’ mission to transform challenges into opportunities. Follow @UNDPMaldives. Visit www.mv.undp.org You can use the QR code to learn more about this year’s Miyaheli

Hotel Insider

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In the Boardroom

Salil Peter Group purchasing manager, Sun Siyam Group. Hotel Insider has a little chat with Salil Peter who manages purchasing at the Sun Siyam Group. He led purchasing operations at several international resorts including the Hilton Iru Fushi, Jumeirah Vittaveli, LUX*, Radisson Blu Maldives and others before joining the homegrown team at Sun Siyam.

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Salil has been in our hospitality industry for fifteen years and is cautious but hopeful about what 2022 might bring – he thinks logistics is the most problematic area and expects sea and air freight charges to normalise in the coming year as more vessels and aircraft begin using our ports.

Hotel Insider: You’re among the Maldives’ largest tourism enterprises.

How would you describe the effect of the pandemic on your business?

Salil Peter: It had a massive impact on our business. As you can imagine, we have a lot of fixed costs – we cannot press pause on things like fuel and gas deliveries or maintenance.

Whether we were operating or not, we had to keep the rooms spotless, we had to take care of the pools, we had to ensure that everything was ready for when guests would start coming in. So, we were running at a loss because maintenance costs were extremely high.

Hotel Insider: Tourist arrivals were expected to reach over a million by the end of October. What do you make of the resort sector’s recovery since borders opened in July 2020?

Salil Peter: I’m very pleased with the performance so far – we’ve recorded over a million tourists now. Overall, I’d say I’m very positive about the industry’s recovery. What we lost from the Chinese market, we made up with Indian and Russian travellers. There is resilient demand from India and Russia, which we did not anticipate, and if this keeps up, I think we will be well on the road to prepandemic levels of recovery.

Hotel Insider: When do you expect us to return to pre-pandemic levels of revenue, staff numbers and occupancy?

Salil Peter: We’re looking at around March 2022. The Sun Siyam Group has hired back all

"I’m very pleased with the performance so far – we’ve recorded over a million tourists now. Overall, I’d say I’m very positive about the industry’s recovery."

Hotel Insider

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In the Boardroom

"Our major problem is logistics, the nonavailability of items in local and international markets.

We used to have dozens of cargo ships arriving at the port here in Male' but today it’s a very different picture."

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Hotel Insider

its staff. We’re seeing occupancy pick up and we remain hopeful that nothing unforeseen will hinder us during our road to recovery.

Hotel Insider: After re-opening, what sort of changes did you make to your packages or business model to adapt to this environment?

Salil Peter: We introduced quite a few packages that were more value-for-money.

We invested in advertising in the big markets like Russia and India. We recently celebrated Diwali for instance. We had previously assumed that the Indian market had reached its full potential but we are glad to be wrong!

Hotel Insider: What are your main concerns as the industry continues to recover?

Salil Peter: Our major, and perhaps only, problem is logistics, like the non-availability of items in local and international markets.

We used to have dozens of cargo ships arriving at the port here in Male' but today it’s a very different picture. The same with air freight – I’m expecting things to normalise in the next year or so because right now, we’re being charged double and we cannot pass on those charges to guests because that would make their holidays much more expensive.

Hotel Insider: What lessons have you learnt while operating during this pandemic?

Salil Peter: Among the many lessons we’ve learned are, for one, we saw the pandemic as an opportunity to diversify the economy.

We’ve started to focus on more productionoriented industries such as farming and manufacturing. It was also an opportunity to restructure the tourism industry to benefit

Maldivians where we could have a better balance of local to foreign employees, ability to acquire local goods and services.

The supply chain came to a complete halt; making us realise that we need to have local sources to fulfil our basic supply needs. I am sure going forward the industry will be more resilient to these impacts where we can depend on our local counterparts to work with us to keep the business up and running.

In a nutshell; we learnt that we cannot be completely dependent on the outside world for all our goods and services.

Hotel Insider: Lastly, what is your outlook for 2022?

Salil Peter: I think we’ll have a much better grip on the spread of the virus, so many companies are researching and looking into it as we speak. We’ll likely be keeping open all our borders, and all tourism workers would have received their booster shots by then. The industry will likely return to pre-pandemic levels next year and I guess all we can do is remain positive and vigilant; be prepared to face new challenges.

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Your first impression. Our mission.

Mark is an industry veteran who has been in and out of the Maldives during the past twenty or so years, overseeing some of the country’s most iconic and luxurious resorts.

Hotel Insider travels to the Fari Islands Archipelago at the tip of North Male' Atoll to have a chat with this seasoned hotelier on what it’s like opening a hotel during a pandemic, The RitzCarlton’s re-conceptualisation of the butler, what it’s like sharing space with two other resorts and more.

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Hotel Insider

Hotel Insider: So much has happened since we last talked - you were leading Amilla and Finolhu in Baa Atoll at that time and you have worked in the Maldives at the O&O, Huvafen Fushi, Conrad Rangali and many other international brands around the world. How would you contrast the Ritz-Carlton Maldives with these other luxury brands?

Mark Hehir: It’s been a great journey, being in and out of the Maldives over the past twenty odd years. Being involved in projects like One&Only, Amilla and Finolhu was incredibly rewarding. But as I was looking for the next step, this project, The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott International, came up and I could just see going back to work with one of the most recognisable names in our industry.

The legendary brand, The Ritz-Carlton, is really attractive and I thought, let’s do this.

Hotel Insider: Yeah, this resort adds a whole new level of luxury to an already luxurious destination. So, how would you describe the debut of The Ritz-Carlton in the Maldives?

Mark Hehir: Launching such a resort in the Maldives is one thing. Bringing such an iconic brand to the country came with its own challenges. Worldwide, there have been so many people involved in the build-up to the debut. Every department knows what the others are doing and that really helps us bring that The Ritz-Carlton feeling of outstanding attention and care. We brought all of that in to a Maldivian setting, ensuring that it was a perfect fit with what hospitality is about in these islands.

Hotel Insider: One key aspect of your resort is the Aris Meeha. Let’s talk a bit about how you’ve reimagined the butler concept here.

Mark Hehir: When we were doing the research to build the concept of the resort, we highly valued the butler concept of a premium resort. We found that the Aris Meeha was available over two thousand years ago in the Maldives. They were connected to the royal courts and that personalised service, a person in waiting who would take care of all your needs. We immediately realised that that

Word from the top

Mark Hehir General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands

Hotel Insider

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Word from the Top

"What it does is to evolve the Maldives to Maldives 2.0.

You’ve still got the beauty of the one island-one resort element even here at The Ritz-Carlton and you don’t need to go anywhere else to enjoy a beautiful vacation."

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was the name we had to use for our butler service. It really connected us to the highest level of ‘Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen’ – that rarefied feeling of The Ritz-Carlton and the royal feeling of what the Maldives was.

Hotel Insider: On a different note, what was it like opening a hotel during the pandemic?

Mark Hehir: Incredibly difficult in a lot of ways. I don’t think we will realise how difficult it was until a few years later because we get caught in the moment of actually going through the motions. Pre-opening has a lot of lead up time in offices and meetings anyway. We couldn’t have a lot of people here physically, so we worked alone as a very small team in the office, with the rest being done through virtual meetings.

It required a lot of effort and coordination, and despite the clear challenges, we got the pre-planning done. It was an incredibly lengthy process because we had to get a lot of approvals while being in different time zones.

And I think that while the world was going through such a catastrophic event, we had a strong focus on what needed to be done and to be timely about that. A lot of effort, in short [laughs].

Hotel Insider: [laughs] I would imagine.

The Ritz-Carlton is one of Marriott’s most luxurious brands. And this is reflected here, especially visually, in the design.

Mark Hehir: Yes, definitely that’s a combination of the passion of the owner, Pontiac Land Group, and partnering with a world-class architect and marrying that with the best of the Maldives. The Ritz-Carlton played a key role in every part of the entire process with this ethos of ‘less is more’, letting the beauty of the Maldives take centre stage.

How the architecture fit around that has been really significant, and you notice this when you walk through the property.

Hotel Insider: It’s really beautiful and

you’ve got a clear theme going. We’ve also been to the Fari Marina and though it’s different, you can tell that there’s a family resemblance.

Mark Hehir: Yes, there’s an overall connective element but each resort has its own distinct flavour and design direction from different architects. But it’s all gelling together from the direction of the owner and developer as well so there’s a nice commonality there while respectfully giving different offerings throughout the three islands.

Hotel Insider: Also, this is the first luxury integrated archipelago in the Maldives.

How would you describe this new chapter in luxury?

Mark Hehir: I think what it does is to evolve the Maldives to Maldives 2.0. You’ve still got the beauty of the one island-one resort element even here at The Ritz-Carlton and you don’t need to go anywhere else to enjoy a beautiful vacation. But what this does is, it adds an extra layer and also appeals to newcomers, who might want something more. They can move just eight minutes away and enjoy other restaurants, other moods so to speak. Maldives 2.0 is where the dimension of integrating and upgrading experiences happens. It adds another reason why you could probably choose us, and expand the market possibilities.

Above: The positivity rate for coronavirus in the Maldives based on the number of tests and detected cases.

Below: The number of daily Covid-19 cases reported in the Maldives since community transmission was confirmed on 15 April 2020.

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Cover Story

From Green Shoots To Full Bloom - How Maldives Tourism Bounced Back It was unimaginable before it happened. The Maldives closed its borders for the first time on 27 March 2020 as the Covid-19 pandemic brought the global travel industry to a standstill.

95,700 total COVID-19 cases 2,298 active cases 18 patients in hospital and 262 deaths as of 31 December 2021 367,460 people fully vaccinated and 396,779 people received first dose as of 29 December 2021 14.3% poverty rate in 2020 (up from 3.8% in 2019) 35% decline in government revenue and grants in 2020 MVR421 million disbursed under Income Support Allowance scheme to 22,946 individuals MVR361.3 million in relief loans for 1,453 small and medium-sized enterprises and 661 self-employed individuals MVR586 million in relief loans disbursed to 419 large businesses US$519.8 million in loans and grant aid from international financial institutions as of September 2020 US$100 million loss of revenue expected by the 135 active tour operators in the country over six to eight months after March 2020 US$32 million loss in service charge for local resort workers between April to June 2020 US$1.5 billion in travel receipts in first half of 2021 (only 9 percent below same period in 2019)

For three and a half months, no tourists came. For the first time in nearly half a century, the tourism sector that the country depended upon for growth, jobs and foreign currency was shut down.

The fallout was predictably devastating. The economy contracted by an unprecedented 33.5 percent - the third biggest drop in the world in 2020 - far worse than the 13 percent fall in GDP after the Indian Ocean tsunami. Tourism and related services, which directly contribute 40 percent to the economy and account for 80 percent of exports and half of revenue, bore the brunt of the impact. More than half of those who sought income support from the government were tourism workers who were either unemployed or put on no pay leave or reduced salaries. The World Bank estimated a 10.5 percent rise in the poverty rate.

“Keeping the border closed was never an option, we had to find out how to operate during the crisis and re-open our borders to everyone,” Tourism Minister Dr Abdulla Mausoom told Hotel Insider in an exclusive interview. At the height of the pandemic, when most countries sealed borders and vaccines were yet to be developed, the Maldives opened up on 15 July 2020. “It was a hard, courageous decision taken by the president, taken after a lengthy consultation process with all relevant stakeholders. We had the blessings of international organisations, other nations and our geography played to our advantage,” Dr Mausoom added.

The gamble appears to have paid off. From a slow trickle at first, arrivals gradually picked up and reached the government’s modest target for 2020. Following the lead of Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways, most major airlines resumed flights before the peak season in November. More than 94 percent of resorts were back in operation by the end of the year. By mid-2021, all border control staff and over 95 percent of resort workers were fully vaccinated. On 29 October 2021, the Maldives welcomed the millionth tourist of the year and arrivals reached 70 percent of prepandemic levels. A more optimistic revised target of 1.3 million tourists for the year was met on 27 December. Bed nights exceeded Hotel Insider

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Cover Story

3 February 2020 Entry restricted to all foreign nationals who embarked from or transited through China

2020

FEB

18 March 2020 Congregational prayers in mosques in Greater Malé Region and resorts suspended. Mosques remain open in the capital for individual worshippers 17 March 2020 Entry restricted to all foreign nationals traveling from Malaysia and the UK. All guesthouses and city hotels shut down nationwide 15 March 2020 Entry restricted to all foreign nationals who embarked or transited through Iran, South Korea, Bangladesh, Spain, Germany and France

23 March 2020 Tourist excursions banned nationwide 22 March 2020 Restaurants and cafés in Greater Malé Region closed for dine-in services 21 March 2020 14-day quarantine in designated facilities made mandatory for all locals and foreign workers entering the country

16 April 2020 Travel and gatherings banned nationwide. Police begin issuing permits for residents of Malé to go out for shopping and other essential needs 15 April 2020 Community transmission confirmed with first case of Covid-19 detected from a flu clinic in Malé. A full lockdown announced for the capital and its suburb 2 April 2020 A curfew imposed in Greater Malé Region from 5pm to 8pm

MAR

7 March 2020 Two Italian tourists test positive in first imported cases of Covid-19 12 March 2020 Public health emergency declared 14 March 2020 Travel between resorts and inhabited islands restricted. Guesthouses and hotels in Greater Malé Area closed for tourists

19 March 2020 Government offices, schools and other education institutions closed. Entry restricted to tourists arriving on safaris, yachts or other passenger vessels 20 March 2020 Economic Recovery Plan of US$162 million announced to provide relief assistance, including loans to businesses and MVR5,000 income support for individuals who lost jobs

Success story The Maldives was crowned ‘World’s Leading Destination’ at the 2020 World Travel Awards.

CNN hailed the country as “the biggest 2020 international tourism success story” and the South China Morning Post reported that the destination has “pandemic travel down to a fine art.” Tourists only need a negative PCR Hotel Insider

29 April Death of 83-year-old Maldivian woman in first Covid-19 fatality 28 April First case detected outside of Malé confirms community transmission on other islands

APR

2019 levels and reached a record 11 million as the average duration of stay increased from six to nine days.

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25 March 2020 Mandatory 14-day quarantine for resort workers and staff on safari boats after departure of last guest

27 March 2020 A Maldivian in a quarantine facility after arriving from overseas tests positive for Covid-19. Borders effectively shut with onarrival visa suspended for all foreign nationals arriving by air or sea.

Maldivians, foreign spouses of Maldivian nationals and individuals with special permission allowed entry

test, an online health declaration and a hotel booking to enter without any requirement to quarantine. Bolstered by the positive media coverage, marketing campaigns emphasised the signature ‘one-island, one-resort’ model where holidaymakers are whisked off from the airport on boat or plane transfers to resorts on private islands.

In August 2020, the Velana International Airport became only the second airport in the Asia Pacific region to receive the ‘Airport Health Accreditation’ from the Airport Council International. The World Travel and Tourism

17 April 2020 Malé lockdown extended for two weeks after more cases are detected 23 April 2020 Covid-19 cases reach 100 25 April 2020 National carrier Maldivian airline starts delivering cargo to domestic airports to alleviate supply shortages across the country. More than 700 foreign nationals cleared to leave on evacuation flights

Council’s ‘Safe Travels Stamp’ in September 2020 further boosted confidence in the Maldives as a safe haven. Since the reopening, tourist Covid-19 cases have stood at just 0.1 percent of total arrivals.

“I think we encouraged confidence through our transparency and we took care of everybody who visited. And tourists really felt cared for, they spread the word that the Maldives was safe,” the tourism minister suggested.

The first-of-its-kind Maldives Border Miles loyalty programme and Covid insurance

7 February 2021 Mask wearing outdoors made mandatory on all inhabited islands

31 May 2020 Government offices reopen for limited hours with small number of staff 29 May 2020 Phased lifting of lockdown measures begins 14 May 2020 Malé lockdown extended until 28 May 2 May 2020 Government grants special visas for resort owners, investors and officials from international organisations to enter the country

MAY

15 July 2020 Borders reopen for tourists from any country.

40 resorts resume operations

19 December 2020 Curfew lifted in Malé after nine months. Locals returning to Maldives or traveling to resorts no longer required to quarantine. Team sports and group exercises allowed

5 July 2020 Government offices and schools reopen 1 July 2020 Private offices, businesses, shops, restaurants and cafés reopen with new health and safety guidelines.

Congregational prayers resume in mosques

JUN

JUL

12 June 2020 Covid-19 cases surpass 2,000 with 8 fatalities 15 June 2020 Restrictions on travel and gatherings lifted except for Greater Malé Region where a curfew from midnight to 4am remains in place

4 August 2020 Curfew imposed in Greater Malé Region from 10pm to 5am. Mask wearing made mandatory on islands with Covid-19 cases. Mass gatherings and team sports remain banned 10 August 2020 Covid-19 cases reach 5,000 with 19 fatalities 23 August 2020 Driving vehicles banned from 8pm to 5am in Greater Malé Region

schemes for tourists were collaborative efforts that contributed to the success, Dr Mausoom noted. He commended “the commitment from the airlines in the early days and from tourist properties who chose to operate on a loss.”

A Maldives-India air travel bubble established in August 2020 also proved vital to the recovery as India became the largest source market. Tourists from India, Russia and Eastern Europe have helped offset both the low numbers from traditional Western European markets and the complete absence of Chinese tourists. The latter boasted the

SEP

1 February 2021 Mass vaccination programme launched with 100,000 doses of Covishield vaccine donated by India.

Vaccines offered free to all residents, including undocumented migrant workers

14 December 2020 Guesthouses and hotels in Greater Malé Region allowed to fully reopen with special permits

10 September 2020 Negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival required for all tourists

AUG

3 February 2021 Driving vehicles banned in Malé region from 8:30pm to 4:30pm. New curfew hours of 11pm to 4am. Pre-schools, nurseries, daycare centres, in-person classes at colleges and universities as well as parks and public spaces closed.

Team sports and group exercises stopped

OCT

DEC

3 October 2020 Vehicle ban lifted in Malé but night time curfew remains in place 15 October 2020 Guesthouses allowed to reopen except in Greater Malé Region. Tourist facilities in the capital allowed to check-in locals and tourists in transit.

Requirement of negative PCR test from tourists changed to 96 hours prior to arrival

largest market share prior to the pandemic.

The UK meanwhile only removed the Maldives from its red list in late September 2021, paving the way for British tourists to visit without having to quarantine upon their return.

"Golden year” The rapid spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant in South Asia earlier this year underscored uncertainty over the end of the pandemic. As the capital went into lockdown

JAN

2021

FEB

27 January 2021 Curfew from midnight to 4am reimposed in Greater Malé Region. Events, parties and gatherings banned. Mandatory 10-day quarantine for persons other than tourists arriving in the country or travelling from the capital to other islands

in May 2021 to contain the country’s worst outbreak, the Maldives temporarily closed its borders to travellers from other South Asian countries. Tourist arrivals consequently fell by 40 percent compared to previous months but recovered in July 2021 after on-arrival visas were resumed for Indian tourists.

The setback demonstrated the vulnerability of the Maldives to external shocks beyond its control, including travel restrictions and lockdowns in source markets, the emergence of new variants and the unknown duration of immunity afforded by vaccines, all of Hotel Insider

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Cover Story 12 May 2021 Curfew in Malé region lengthened from 4pm to 4am. Congregational prayers in mosques and dine-in services at restaurants and cafés stopped 9 May 2021 More than 1,000 new cases reported for the first time, nearly doubling from the previous day. Entry restricted to work permit holders arriving from South Asian countries.

Tourists from South Asia barred from inhabited islands 6 May 2021 New curfew announced for Greater Malé region from 9pm to 4am

5 March 2021 Vehicle ban extended

MAR

APR

10 April 2021 Local council elections take place with turnout of 68%

31 May 2021 Covid-19 death toll in May reaches 88, more than double the total deaths in 2020 26 May 2021 Malé placed in semilockdown with a curfew from 4pm to 8pm. Two individuals per household allowed outside with a permit during non-curfew hours

MAY

13 May 2021 Tourist visas suspended for visitors from South Asian countries

which have prevented normalisation of global tourism and aviation for airlines to resume operating at full-seat capacity. On the other hand, a return to normalcy could be disadvantageous to the Maldives when competitors like Thailand and Indonesia fully reopen. Citing the unpredictability of the pandemic’s evolution, neither the World Bank and IMF nor the ratings agency Fitch expects the pre-pandemic record of 1.7 million tourist arrivals to be reached until 2023 or beyond.

But Dr Mausoom is confident that the Maldives will celebrate the 50th anniversary of tourism with a record-shattering two million tourists in 2022.

Tourism has rebounded and beaten expectations without arrivals from China, Hotel Insider

21 September 2021 95% of school children and 85% of resident population fully vaccinated, President Solih tells UN General Assembly 1 September 2021 Travel from islands with Covid-19 positivity rate below 5% to islands with vaccination of eligible population above 90% allowed without negative PCR test or quarantine

7 July 2021 Curfew ended and lockdown lifted in Malé.

People allowed outside without permits. Food outlets, shops, cinemas and gyms reopen. Locals and work permit holders arriving from South Asian countries required to quarantine in designated facilities

JUN

23 May 2021 Record 1,960 new cases reported (before the dramatic spike in early May, daily cases consistently remained below 200 since the first outbreak in April 2020)

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15 July 2021 On-arrival visa resumed for South Asian tourists

JUL

16 June 2021 Salons and barbershops allowed to reopen from 8am to 4pm to serve customers with appointments. Individuals with permits allowed to pray in mosques 23 June 2021 Shortened curfew hours in Malé from 6pm to 4am

Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, he stressed. Chinese holidaymakers are expected to return by the fourth quarter of 2022 at the latest whilst new air connections will open up new markets such as Mongolia.

“In 2019, we saw 1.7 million tourists. And right now, we’ve almost reached that level without all of these key markets. I’d say two million is actually ‘easy peasy’,” he said.

But the minister conceded that the recovery remains incomplete. Workers who lost their jobs should be rehired, the only two resorts in the southernmost atoll need to reopen and auxiliary businesses must regain prepandemic levels of income, he said.

“Though we’re very happy to have almost made it out of the wilderness, the industry

AUG

11 August 2021 Enough doses of the Pfizer vaccine acquired to vaccinate all children above 12 years of age, President Solih tells the press. 96% of resort workers and 100% of border control staff fully vaccinated

SEP

OCT

19 October 2021 More than 600 high-risk people and healthcare frontline workers have received Covid vaccine booster shots, according to the Health Protection Agency

recorded huge losses. And unlike other types of businesses, in tourism if a day is lost, it is lost,” he observed. “Those who had a healthy cashflow are back in business while others are having a harder time. But many high-market resorts had the best December last year. I hope 2022 will be the golden year for us, and that we will be truly back in business.”

Back of the Haus

Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa Emerald Maldives is a stunning resort in the up-and-coming Raa Atoll where quite a few gems such as Joali Maldives and The Standard Huruvalhi have also set up shop. Being in a beautiful atoll like Raa means there are some heavy environmental responsibilities on resorts that call the atoll their home. In this edition of Back of the Haus, we look at what Emerald Maldives does behind the scenes.

1 All villas have a solar-powered water heating

system that heats up to 300 litres of water a day. This means big savings on diesel for the resort. In fact, it amounts to more than $100,000 of diesel savings a year.

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2 The in-room air-conditioning systems

are super-sensitive, they will turn off automatically if the doors are open, saving electricity and of course the environment.

3 Wastewater from the rooms collect here,

pumped in from the substations in the resort. This facility can handle 200 tonnes per day. The water is sent off to another filtration system while the sludge is processed and made ready to be mixed with compost. Let’s take a closer look.

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4 This is the control panel, manufactured

by Seimens for T&D Water and Energy of Italy. If need be, the facility can be monitored and troubleshot remotely.

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5 The filtration system uses carbon and sand filters.

Wastewater moves through these before going to a booster system, which does a final round of cleansing and then the water is ready to be used for irrigation.

All the valves here work pneumatically.

6 Here is the waste management area, garbage that is

not food waste is brought here to be processed. The cardboard is burnt in the incinerator. Waste glass is ground for reuse in concrete mixes and floor covering.

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Working Women

Mushla Ahmed Hotel Insider visits Raa Atoll to meet with Mushla Ahmed, a young, up-and-coming kids’ club manager at Emerald Maldives Resort and Spa since the resort opened in December 2019.

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Mushla is a middle child and reserved but she loves being around children regardless of age and nationality. Initially, she joined as an attendant but her talent was recognised by the resort and she was soon promoted to assistant manager. She doesn’t believe you need to master languages to keep children entertained.

Enjoy the read.

Hotel Insider: Thank you for this opportunity, Mushla. Can we talk a bit about your background, what you wanted to do when you finished school?

Mushla Ahmed: Thank you. I studied science actually, you know how we had to choose a ‘stream’ after finishing grade seven, right? At first, I wanted to be a nurse. I had planned on doing nursing school after I did my O’Levels, but it didn’t happen. And I was at loss as to what I wanted to do.

Hotel Insider: What made you decide on a career in hospitality?

Mushla Ahmed: It happened quite by chance. I got an opportunity to work at the kids’ club at Niyama through a friend of mine.

It was a temporary job and it was very close to my island Kudahuvadhoo. My friend asked me to come help her out and I thought ‘why not’. I had absolutely no idea what went on at a resort, nothing. I remember my roommate saying that first day, ‘let’s go get some food’ and I said ‘oh but I don’t have any money!’ [laughs] Hotel Insider: [laughs] Sounds pretty fun.

Mushla Ahmed: It was a life changing experience for me.

Hotel Insider: How would you describe the work-environment there?

Mushla Ahmed: It was good, everybody was very nice and we had great teamwork. It was also a huge change in what I was accustomed to back home. I am not an extrovert, at least I wasn’t, I would usually just go to school, attend tuition classes and come stay at home. But it

was so different here. Back home, I would try to see myself doing something, like as a career, and it was very difficult to visualise. The time at Niyama really sharpened my focus and I could finally see myself doing this.

Hotel Insider: What was the most significant change you noticed in yourself?

Mushla Ahmed: I used to be pretty introverted but I think it made me less anxious in social settings and helped me a lot in dealing with different kinds of people. Parents were entrusting their kids to me. It was a massive responsibility, they had to be looked after very well and it takes a lot of care and attention.

Hotel Insider: How long were you at Niyama?

Mushla Ahmed: Around a month. I came back to Kudahuvadhoo in January, I was really too young to get a job because I was only 17 years old. I worked as a cashier at a shop and I started meeting a lot of people. Like I met people who’d come to open Kandima and that was the first time I’d heard of it [laughs]. Then I got an opportunity to work at Kihaa Maldives in Baa atoll but my family wasn’t so happy with the idea of me going and working so far away from them.

Hotel Insider: But they were OK with you working at a resort?

Mushla Ahmed: At first, they were not because they didn’t have a good understanding of the resort environment. So, I had to say no to Kihaa’s offer. Then, my family sort of became OK with the idea and wanted me to look for something in Dhaalu Atoll. No one else in my family works at a resort. I think there are only three girls on my island who are resort workers. Guys work at resorts but the rules are different for us, you know. Anyway, I got a job in Kandima, at their kids’ club and I had a good manager, so things were looking up for me.

Hotel Insider: What surprised you most about working in an environment like this?

Mushla Ahmed: I think it’s the fact that there

are so many opportunities at a resort, so much more than people have ever let on. Like in our society, you’re judged by the grades you get at school. You’d be completely marginalised if you didn’t get good grades. What resorts have taught me is that academic qualifications aren’t necessarily the only path to success. There are so many skills out there to be learnt and mastered that will definitely help you become successful.

Hotel Insider: We also wanted to ask you what it’s like working with kids of so many different nationalities.

Mushla Ahmed: It’s not as difficult as you might think. You’d be surprised at how much non-verbal communication can help you out.

In general, it’s pretty fun and activity filled – we have so many things lined up for each day, from cooking classes to painting with henna, which parents also love.

Hotel Insider: That’s great. So, what do you think you’ll do a few years from now?

Mushla Ahmed: I see myself in this department, growing and learning. There’s always new research in this area, new things happening. Some people might think it’s a bit strange, sticking to this when there are all these other, bigger departments like F&B or housekeeping or front office. But I love this job and my work is greatly appreciated, especially by our GM. So, yes, this is where I’ll be.

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Spotlight

Dr. Sol Milne Piloting ocean drones, monitoring ghost nets, night snorkeling with some incredible marine life – this isn’t a typical day in someone’s life, unless of course, you happen to be Dr. Sol Milne.

Dr. Sol is an environmental scientist studying animal systems and the impact humans have on natural habitats. He’s previously worked in the rainforests of Borneo, studying how deforestation has been affecting the orangutan population of Indonesia. Now he’s here in the Maldives, working with the Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment Program at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands.

As the resort’s resident naturalist, he educates interested guests about the delicate ecosystem surrounding the archipelago, while mapping out the region’s coral reefs and understanding their growth and development over time. Our team sat down with Dr. Sol to dive deep into all things ecology, including the existential threat that looms over our vulnerable island nation.

Hotel Insider: How would you describe your role here at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives?

Dr. Sol: My role here is two-fold. Firstly, I’m an Ambassador of the Environment with the Jean-Michel Cousteau Programme. That involves engaging with guests about the environment and sustainability, including water sustainability. The water we use here is recycled and desalinated, so we teach guests about the importance of water conservation, even though we’re on a tiny island absolutely surrounded by it. I also do a lot of marine biology talks about the diversity of species that we have, and the adaptation of all the fish and wildlife that we see.

Hotel Insider: For our readers who may be unfamiliar, who exactly is Jean-Michel Cousteau?

Dr. Sol: So, Jean-Michel Cousteau is an ocean explorer and photographer. He’s the son of Jacques Cousteau, a French explorer who was actually the first person to invent scuba diving in the 1950s, by using a new kind of valve. Since then, scuba diving has obviously become much more widespread, and it’s changed the way we perceive the

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ocean environment. Jean-Michel Cousteau started diving with his father when he was about 12. Now, he’s 83 and still going strong.

Hotel Insider: Wow, over 70 years. That’s very impressive.

Dr. Sol: Yeah, he’s actually been diving longer than any other living human on the planet. His organization, the Ocean Futures Society, is partnered with The Ritz-Carlton Maldives along with other Ritz-Carlton properties around the world, engaging with guests about environmental education, and working on local projects to protect the ocean as a whole.

Hotel Insider: What sort of activities can guests expect as part of the program?

Dr. Sol: We’ve got plenty of activities for guests across all ages that give them the opportunity to interact with the environment around them. At the Ritz Kids, for example, all the activities we offer are centered around being outside. Not being behind a screen, but rather doing things that are tactile and handson, that involve everyone getting together and working as a team.

We also offer a lot of snorkeling and diving excursions. Night snorkeling is one of the more popular activities, because it allows guests to see the reef in a way that they wouldn’t normally. With our torches in hand, we go out quite far out to sea after dusk – some fish are going to sleep while others are waking up, so it’s interesting to explore and see what we can find.

Hotel Insider: Sounds like a lot of fun.

What about the other side of your two-fold role?

Dr. Sol: Apart from engaging with guests, I also undertake research. I’m working with another researcher, Melissa Shiele, who is based at Loughborough University and the Zoological Society of London, and Kat Mason, a Shark Scientist who has recently joined our team. There are many layers to our research project, which we’re carrying out with the use of ocean drones. Almost every morning, we do aerial surveys of the lagoon in search of

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marine megafauna and ghost nets.

Ghost nets are fishing nets that are lost at sea, either accidentally or discarded after use.

They float along the surface, and oftentimes wildlife gets entangled. The Maldives is sort of in the center of a huge body of water, the Indian Ocean. In general, these ghost nets are probably discarded near Sri Lanka or India, and so when they drift across, they get intercepted by islands throughout all the atolls. For studying ghost nets, the Maldives is the perfect place to be, because we can monitor where this is occurring, find the nets and go remove them. We also utilise a lot of the plastic and upcycle it into other products.

Hotel Insider: How has the reception been to your morning aerial adventure sessions?

Dr. Sol: It’s been fantastic actually. Seeing the lagoon from up above gives guests a really unique perspective. When we’re in the water, the range of our vision is fairly limited, about 20 or 30 meters on a good day. But from a drone, you can literally see kilometers. You can view the actual structure of the reef as a whole, as well as the animals moving around it.

Hotel Insider: Bet you’re able to spot some pretty stunning wildlife.

Dr. Sol: Oh, absolutely. This morning, we came across about 30 spinner dolphins interacting with one another, from the air.

We watched calves and mothers swimming together; we even saw them knocking a jellyfish out of the way! [laughs] It’s amazing, because we’re able to observe these creatures without disturbing them. We make sure of this, because we can tell from behavioral science if the animal is disturbed, and we keep our distance. I think it’s a really special thing that we’re doing here; seeing the awe on the faces of our guests when they see a dolphin for the first time, a manta ray, or a school of sharks… It really breaks a lot of boundaries.

Hotel Insider: And how would you sum up The Ritz-Carlton’s commitment to environmentally sound practices?

Dr. Sol: Well, I believe that even while indulging in a bit of luxury, there are ways to champion sustainability too. There’s a Danish architect by the name of Bjarke Ingels, who put forward the idea of ‘hedonistic sustainability’. This is the notion that something can be sustainable, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t got to be fun or engaging.

You can be aware of your impact on the environment, but still make that a beautiful experience. And I think that’s what we try to push forward at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives.

The reef is the main center of attention here.

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"By studying the reef, and studying the animals around it, we can tell if there are any signs of disturbance, internally or externally."

It surrounds the entire lagoon, and it sort of holds us all together. By studying the reef, and studying the animals around it, we can tell if there are any signs of disturbance, internally or externally. The Ritz-Carlton is very receptive to any issues that need addressing, and so we collectively work together to try and maintain the health of our environment.

Hotel Insider: Over the course of your time here, what have you observed about the health of the reefs? Are we seeing signs of recovery from the last heating event?

Dr. Sol: That’s an interesting question. The last heating event was a pretty expansive one; the bleaching covered most of the lagoon along with the neighbouring atolls as well.

When a coral bleaching occurs, the algae that lives inside the coral leave the body of the coral. Sometimes they can come back, and that’s known as reinfection. When that happens, it usually means that the conditions have reached a point where it’s actually conducive to the growth of the reef. It’s a healthy system, whereby it’s not too hot, and the algae can survive. And somehow, this has happened here. We’re seeing recovery, we’re seeing a lot of resilience in this reef, but we’re not sure exactly why, because temperatures have remained fairly constant.

Hotel Insider: That’s a bit strange, isn’t it?

Dr. Sol: Yes, we’re still trying to understand this phenomenon. For this reason, the drones are extremely useful to fly over and observe any bleaching that has occurred. It helps us answer a sort of existential question for reefs across the world, because they are on the brink, really. Corals are, after all, colonies of animals living together. When we get too warm, we can move out of the sun. But unlike us, corals are unable to move themselves. So, if the conditions change for the worse, they’ll be the first ones to go. That’s why it’s so important to take care of this ecosystem and monitor it as regularly as we can.

Hotel Insider: Yet, scientists predict that the world will warm by a greater degree than what leaders have tried to prevent.

What are your thoughts on this? How vulnerable are we to the consequences of

such increases in temperature?

Dr. Sol: Understanding climate change is based on models; it’s a representation of reality. We base our understanding on data that we collect and create a model to see how things will change, which we can compare with reality. But what we can observe in nature is that this change is indeed happening faster than predicted. As a result, it makes it more difficult to foresee what the impact of that may be.

The Maldives is one of the lowest lying countries in the world. So, when it comes to rising sea levels, the Maldives is extremely vulnerable. It would be the first to be affected, and I think we’re already seeing some of the signs. When I talk to Maldivians, I’m aware of how rapidly this degradation has been observed across generations. The amount of wildlife we see between now and about thirty years ago, there’s a stark difference. It’s very worrying, really.

Hotel Insider: That brings us to our last question. What can a small island nation like the Maldives do to safeguard its future?

Dr. Sol: Being in such a beautiful part of the world, being a steward of this environment and trying to protect it every day, is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job here.

As a scientist, I would say that the Maldives should express to the world the impact that it is already witnessing. It should express how important it is for larger countries, who are also the larger emitters of greenhouse gases, to change their practices and to put pressure on corporations to reduce their emissions.

Only 100 companies, particularly fossil fuel companies, are responsible for 71% of global emissions- so energy needs to be directed at limiting the amount that these corporations can pollute.

Of course, there’s a lot of heady talk about global solutions, but they also only work if they’re enacted locally. And that starts with the individual. It starts with changing the way we treat the environment directly. You know, looking at actions like disposal of waste, or the treatment of our marine ecosystem – these changes need to be implemented at the level of the individual, of the resort, of the island. Because that’s where the actual change happens tangibly on the ground.

Hotel Insider: We couldn’t agree more.

Thanks so much for your time, Dr. Sol.

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Business Bulletin

November and December An overview of the top business news

The state-owned Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) reported a net profit of MVR56 million (US$3.6 million) for the third quarter of 2021.

Telecommunication service provider Dhiraagu posted a Q3 profit of MVR191 million.

A minimum wage was introduced for the first time in the Maldives on 8 November. Based on research and consultation by an advisory board, monthly pay was set at MVR4,500 for small businesses, MVR7,000 for the civil service and 40

Hotel Insider

medium-sized enterprises, and MVR8,000 for large businesses such as resorts.

Micro-enterprises - businesses that do not earn an annual profit of MVR75,000 - were exempted from paying the minimum wage. The monthly rate for small business and resorts was about MVR1,000 lower than recommended by the advisory board.

The Maldives Airports Company Ltd announced Darren Williams as its new Chief Operating Officer on November 10. Williams previously worked at the

Dubai International Airport as vice president of airside operations. MACL’s British CEO Gordon Andrew Stewart was sacked on the same day for undisclosed reasons on the instruction of the Privatisation and Corporatisation Board.

He had been appointed in June 2020.

The State Trading Organisation signed a strategic partnership agreement with Apollo Holdings on 10 November for the marketing and distribution of its ‘Maldives Cement’ product.

An outlet of the popular Indian restaurant franchise Nagas opened in Hulhumalé on 14 November.

The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority ceased refunds for revenue stamps on 15 November. The tax authority offered refunds after parliament repealed a 1970 law that required revenue stamps on official documentation.

The ninth edition of the Maldives Living Expo kicked off on 19 November at the Hulhumalé central park.

Participants of the exhibition included local real estate companies and a Malaysian property developer. The sixth edition of the Maldives Marine Expo took place in December at the same location.

Boat builders and auxiliary business that provide logistics, finance, insurance, fire safety and marine technology showcased products and services.

The Maldives State Shipping company’s first vessel MSS Galena made its maiden call at the Malé commercial harbour on 23 November. The ship arrived with cargo from Sri On the left: Minister of Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail signs the historic decree to introduce a minimum wage.

Lanka.

Parliament approved an MVR37 billion budget for 2022 on 24 November with MVR24.2 billion forecast as revenue and grant aid, a fiscal deficit of MVR9.8 billion and an ambitious MVR6.3 billion Public Sector Investment Programme that includes the development of new tertiary hospitals, a new passenger terminal and the ‘Greater Malé Connectivity Project’ for an overwater bridge between the capital and the islands of Vilimalé, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi. New revenue measures include an MVR2 tax on each imported plastic bag and savings from the Aasandha health insurance scheme by capping prices for medicines and prohibiting doctors from specifying a brand on prescriptions.

Amana Takaful decided on 25 November to pay out MVR2.6 million to shareholders, the company’s highest interim dividends to date.

loans and home loans to nine percent on 5 December. The repayment period for loans to purchase apartments or row houses is 20 years.

The pension office launched an online portal on 1 December, becoming the country’s first fully digital service provider. The finance ministry launched its ‘Beelan’ portal on 6 December to digitise the submission of all bids and proposals to the government.

An AED51.4 million (US$14 million) agreement was signed with the Abu Dhabi Development Fund on 13 December to finance a wasteto-energy plant in Addu City, a project that is expected to create 100 jobs and provide electricity to 6,000 households.

SriLankan Airlines resumed direct flights to Addu City on 5 December. Sri Lanka’s national carrier operates weekly flights on Saturdays from Colombo to Gan airport in the southernmost atoll.

The Bank of Maldives reduced interest rates on student

Winning proposals for financing from the Bank of Maldives Community Fund were announced on 13 December. The national bank will fund the development of a barbecue area in Noonu

Below: MSS Galena arrives with cargo from Sri Lanka

Hotel Insider

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Business Bulletin

Hebadhoo, an outdoor library in Kaafu Maafushi, an outdoor reading area in Faafu Feeali, a beach area in Thaa Buruni, and a recreational park for senior citizens in Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo.

A Singapore-Maldives Vaccinated Travel Lane launched on 16 December allows fully vaccinated travellers to enter the city state without a requirement to quarantine.

The Maldives Ports Limited reduced pilotage service and tug rental fees by up to 50 percent with effect on 15 December, bringing the tariff closer to rates in countries such as Mauritius. Levied on cargo ships and passenger liners that dock at the Malé commercial harbour, the pilotage fee remained unchanged for more than a decade.

Qatar Airways celebrated the 20th anniversary of flying to the Maldives on 19 December.

The first Qatari flight of the day was welcomed at the Velana International Airport with a water salute and traditional boduberu performance.

The European Union launched a €2.4 million grant scheme on 15 December to help micro, medium and small businesses in the tourism sector recover from the Covid-19 crisis. The application window is open for a six-month period.

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Hotel Insider

The State Trading Organisation launched an annual sale to commemorate its 57th anniversary on 20 December. The one-day sale offered discounts of up to 15 percent from all STO outlets.

The first Public Interest Entity Auditors in the country were registered on 22 December by the Institute of Chartered

Accountants of the Maldives.

A Double Tax Avoidance agreement was signed between the Maldives and Bangladesh on 23 December during the state visit of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed.

A maiden test flight landed at the newly-built Madivaru domestic airport on 25 December. The first airport in Lhaviyani atoll is being developed by local resort company Kuredu Holdings with Chinese subcontractor Beijing Urban Construction Group.

The tender process for the development of an international airport on the northern island of Hanimadhoo was launched on 26 December. “The project financed by the Indian Exim Bank's Line of Credit is envisioned to be a catalyst for the development of the North

Above: Qatar Airways celebrated 20 years of flying to the Maldives To the right: The Maldives aims to phase out single-use plastics by 2023

of Maldives into an engine of growth and prosperity,” according to the economic development ministry.

A lease agreement was signed on 29 December for the development of a hotel on Manadhoo island in Noonu atoll.

Maldivian airlines decided to operate additional domestic flights to northern and southern atolls to cater to high demand during the end-of-year school holidays.

A list of 13 single-use plastics to be phased out by 2023 was published on 29 December.

The production and sale of straws, plates, cutleries, stirrers, Styrofoam boxes, cotton buds with plastic stems, plastic bottles below

500ml (carbonated and noncarbonated drinks except water), toiletries in bottles below 50ml, drinking cups below 250ml, sweet areca nuts in plastic packing (supari), and shopping bags smaller than 30 by 30cm will be prohibited with effect on 1 June 2022.

Plastic shopping bags below 50-micron thickness as well as shampoo, conditioner, soap and lotion bottles from 50 to 250ml will be banned on 1 December 2022. The local production of plastic water bottles below 500ml and below 1 litre must cease by 1 September 2022 and 1 March 2024 respectively.

A record MVR85 million was collected as property zakat (annual alms for the poor obligatory upon Muslims) this year, Islamic Minister Dr Ahmed Zahir Ali revealed on

30 December. The funds are being distributed nationwide to more than 16,000 underprivileged people registered by the ministry.

The Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) purchased a record 8,796 tonnes of fish by 27 December, the highest monthly volume in the state-owned company’s history. MIFCO bought 56,198 tonnes from local fishermen in 2021, up from 49,392 tonnes last year. A land reclamation project is underway to increase the cold storage capacity at the Felivaru processing plant from 500 to 4,000 metric tonnes.

shop aims to market and sell products with the post office’s nationwide delivery system.

Homestay tourism in private residences was officially authorised under new regulations gazetted on 30 December with rules for approval of permits, registration for taxes and enforcement of minimum standards. The pilot project to introduce homestay tourism was launched on the island of Dhiggaru in Meemu atoll.

Maldives Post opened an online community shop under its eTukuri platform on 30 December to promote local crafts and products. The virtual Hotel Insider

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Marketplace A quick guide to the suppliers and service providers that cater to the Maldivian tourism industry.

Banking & Insurance ALLIED INSURANCE

Allied Insurance Company Pvt Ltd is a leading insurance service provider offering total solutions with a comprehensive range of general, life Insurance and Takaful services throughout the Maldives. Allied’s customers include individuals, smallmedium businesses, corporate and government institutions. City Square, 3rd Floor, Chaandhanee Magu, Male’, +960 334 1001, toll free 1600, info@allied.com, allied.mv AMANA TAKAFUL

Amana Takaful PLC is a full-fledged and licensed General Insurance company with an outstanding portfolio of Takaful insurance solutions. Commencing operations in 2003, it stands proud as the only publicly quoted insurance company in the Maldives listed in the Maldives Stock Exchange (MSE). 3rd Floor, H. Mialani, Sosun Magu, Male’, Maldives, +960 331 5262, info@takaful.mv, takaful.mv BANK OF CEYLON (BOC)

With over seven decades of experience, the bank offers a broad range of services including commercial banking, trade finance, development financing, mortgage financing, lease financing, investment banking, corporate financing, dealing in government securities, pawn brokering, credit card facilities and others. H. Aage, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male’, +960 333 7564, smit@bocmale.com.mv, bocmale.com.mv BANK OF MALDVIES (BML)

Known locally as “the national bank,” BML is a public limited company with majority ownership held by the government of Maldives. BML is a full-service bank engaging across the complete spectrum of personal, business and corporate financial services. BML Head Office, No. 11, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male’, +960 333 0200, main.branch@bml.com.mv, bankofmaldives.com.mv

MAURITIUS COMMERCIAL BANK (MCB)

The Mauritius Commercial Bank (Maldives) is a leading commercial bank in the country, offering a comprehensive range of services to meet the needs of its valued customers. MCB Maldives aims also at being the preferred banking and financial partner of corporate customers, whether they are startups or well established groups. H. Sifa Building, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Malé, +960 3305656, contact@mcbmaldives.com, mb.mcbmaldives.com SOLARELLE INSURANCE

Solarelle Insurance is committed to finding new and innovative ways of reducing risks and losses, and is devoted to providing comprehensive General Insurance solutions that can be tailor-made to suit the different needs and lifestyles of its customers. 1st Floor, ADK Tower, Male', 20096, +960 330 0099, info@solarelleinsurance.com, solarelleinsurance.com STATE BANK OF INDIA (SBI)

State Bank of India opened its first branch in Male’ in February 1974. This heralded the commencement of its Maldives operations as one of the foreign branches of India's largest commercial bank. The State Bank Group has over 22,887 branches within India and another 191 offices outside India, spread over 36 countries. H. Sunsleet, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male, +960 331 2111, sbimale@statebank.com, sbimaldives.com

Bath, Kitchen, Laundry ASTRABON

Astrabon is dedicated towards providing the most apt solutions for resort and hotel supply needs. Astrabon has the finest selection of products supplied by the most reputed manufacturers of the industry. Every product purchased from Astrabon is indicative of high-quality. Orchid Magu, Male, Maldives, +960 300 8060, sales@astrabon.net

CEYLINCO INSURANCE COMPANY

Ceylinco Insurance’s company policy is to settle claims within 14 days from the date of receipt of the complete documents, and they take pride in attempting to meet this deadline.Speed and efficiency are the company's hallmarks and total customer satisfaction is their goal. 3rd Floor, H.Merry Side, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male', +960 969 3939, info@ceylincoinsurance.com.mv, ceylinco-insurance.com

AQUA CHROME

Aqua Chrome offers solutions for sanitary fittings, solar heaters and specialized roofing to various economic sectors. GROHE is the world's leading provider of sanitary fittings under one brand and is represented in Maldives by Aqua Chrome.

(Grohe) H. Gullalaamaage, Roashanee Magu, K. Male', +960 300 3663, aquachromemaldives.com

COMMERCIAL BANK OF MALDIVES

The Commercial Bank of Maldives is a joint venture between Tree Top Investments Pvt Ltd (TTIL) and the Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC (CBC). Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC was established in 1969, and have since become the largest private bank in Sri Lanka with an asset base over USD 6 Bn. Commercial Bank of Maldives, H. Filigasdhoshuge, Ameeru Ahmed Magu, +960 333 2668, info@cbmmv.com, cbmmv.com

HOTEC

Hotec is a sales agent in the Maldives for internationally renowned manufacturers of small equipment and supplies for the food service industry in Maldives. Their objective is to bring the best food service equipment, other kitchen accessories, and bath and wellness products from the best brands in the world. Ma. Favorite, Chaandhanee Magu, Male', +960 334 1616, info@hoteconline.com, hoteconline.com

HABIB BANK LTD

HBL is a Karachi based multinational bank and is one of the largest banks in Pakistan. Founded in 1941, HBL became Pakistan's first commercial bank and is the largest company in Pakistan in terms of assets. As of 2016, HBL has 1700 branches with presence in over 25 countries spanning four continents. Habib Bank Limited, H.Thuniya Building Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male’, +960 332 2051, customercare.maldives@hbl.com 44

Hotel Insider

RADIANTHEAT

Radiantheat Maldives Pvt Ltd is the flagship company of Radiantheat Group and a leading supplier for commercial catering and laundry equipment and spares in the Maldives. Currently Radiantheat represents several renowned global brands.

Radiantheat Building 3rd Floor, H. Nooali, Hithigas Magu, Male' 20022, +960 333 4854, sales@radheatonline.com, radheatonline.com

OSMOSIS ASIA

TIMBER HOUSE

SOVEREIGN AGENCIES

Dive & Water Sports

Osmosis Asia Pvt Ltd provides clients with a space where they can find all products that will enable them to run their operations without hassle. They supply spare parts for commercial kitchens, commercial refrigeration, coffee machines, bar and vending equipment. 1st Floor, H.Bonthi Building, Hiffaseyha Goalhi, Male’, +960 300 9551, sales@osmosisasia.com

Sovereign Agencies offers an extensive range of products geared towards the hospitality industry, serving more than 60 resorts in the Maldives. Their products include emiment brands such as Primus, Bauscher, and Vito. Ma. Moorithi Building, 1st Floor, Chaandhanee Magu, Male’, +960 331 4422, sales@sovereignagencies.com.mv XENON MALDIVES

Xenon Maldives Pvt Ltd provides several types of equipments, genuine spares and services to hotels and resorts. These inlcude kitchen equipments that are commercial and used by popular chefs, and laundry machinery from USA. M. Three & One, Haveeree Hingun, 4th Floor, Male', +960 331 0013, sales@xenonmaldives.com, xenonmaldives.com

Buildware & Hardware ALIA INVESTMENTS

Currently in its 53rd year of service, Alia has been the sole distributor of the world renowned Yamaha brand for 43 years. Alia is also the distributor of Seakeeper gyroscopic stabilizers, Kohler brand’s sanitary ware, and a large variety of hardware products. 8th Floor, ALIA Building, Gandhakoalhi Magu, Maafanu, Male’ 20311, +960 332 3564, info@aliamaldives.com ASK HOLDINGS

ASK Holdings Pvt Ltd is a hardware company based in Male', Maldives. The company's mission is to maintain quality standards for all products and provide valued customers with store wide warranty services, best prices, reliable products and amenities to make the company's stores the first choice for your household needs. +960 332 4679, info@ask.com.mv CO-LOAD MALDIVES

Co-Load Maldives Pvt Ltd is known for establishing the American franchise Ace Hardware and Home Centre in Male', and also for their paint solutions through Color Bank. The company is the sole distributor of several world-renowned brands.

M. Baarana, 1st Floor, Majeedhee Magu, Male', +960 332 0450, admin@coload.com.mv

Timber House has over a decade of experience in the timber industry and helps prospective customers in evaluating the various volumes and types of timber best suited for their needs. M. Honeydew, Izzuddheen Magu Male’, 20311, +960 333 9111, info@timberhouse.com.mv

BEST DIVES

Best Dives Pvt Ltd is a leading diving and watersports centre, excursion and yacht charter service provider, operating in both high-end luxury resorts and middlerange resorts in the Maldives without compromising on quality service. 6/F MF Building, Chandhanee Magu, Male city, Maldives. +960 330 5960, info@bestdivesmaldives.com BLUE HORIZON

Blue Horizon offers diving and surfing adventures that are tailored to meet the needs of its clients. Currently the company operates two motorized yachts and two sailing catamarans. M. Bolissafaru 2nd Floor, Orchid Magu, Male', +960 332 1169, travel@blue-horizon.com.mv DTECH

dTech Pvt Ltd is the sole distributor of SEADOO and EVINRUDE brands - providing the finest Personal Watercrafts (PWC) and Outboard engine products in the Maldives. Having established in 1998, dTECh has always worked towards offering the best products to the Maldivian marine and power sports industry. M. Whale Shark, Male', 2021, +960 333 4051 spareparts@dtech.com.mv, dtecg.com.mv EURO DIVERS

Euro-Divers Maldives offer scuba diving activities in some of the best scuba diving resorts in Maldives as well as water sport activities at selected resorts. Euro-Divers Worldwide was founded by Swiss nationals over 40 years ago and offers safe, exciting and professional scuba diving activities and scuba diving lessons in some of the world’s best diving destinations. euro-divers.com GOLDEN JET TRADE

Golden Jet Trade Pvt. Ltd, established in 1985, a relatively small business then is now a leading supplier of quality Scuba Diving, Snorkelling, Water sports and Swimming equipment in the Republic of Maldives. Providing quality scuba diving wetsuits in all sizes, Scuba Diving fins or Flippers to Scuba Diving, Snorkelling gear and water sport knives and accessories. Golden Jet Trade Pvt. Ltd. 3, Chandhanee Magu, Male’, +960 322338 divegear@goldenjet.com.mv MA SERVICES

NALAHIYA

Nalahiya Trading Pvt Ltd is a leading importer of building materials in the Maldives.

The company imports cement, coarse and fine sand, roofing sheets, plywood, GI pipes, gypsum boards and others. M Faaroshige', 8th Floor, Orchid Magu, Male', +960 333 1999, marketing@nalahiyatrading.com

MA SERVICES is a market leader in the sale, installation and maintenance of highpressure breathing air equipment, and is the authorized distributor for brands such as BAUER, Scubapro, Analox, HATZ. G. Veyoge, Husnuheena Magu, Male', +960 331 0935, maserv@dhivehinet.net.mv, maservices.com.mv OCEAN GROUP

PROMINENT RESOURCES

Prominent Resources Pvt Ltd was established in 2011 and has built a reputation as an importer of hardwood and other related items direct from Malaysia, Indonesia and New Zealand. M. Onigandu (1st Floor), Muranga Magu, Male', +960 333 3707, marketing@prominentmaldives.com RAINBOW

Established in 1990, Rainbow Pvt Ltd is a building service provider that caters to the Maldivian market. The company's extensive portfolio of products include furniture, roofing materials, sanitary-ware and fittings, kitchen systems, electrical products and paint. G.Maarana, Alikilegefaanu Magu, Male', +960 331 6914, sales@rainbow.com.mv

Ocean Group Maldives founded in 1998 is now one of the most successful premier dive and water sports operator with an impressive 20-year track record and many innovative launches. Customizes bespoke experiences for discerning travellers seeking truly unique dive and water sports experiences and have partnered with some of the best luxury resorts in Asia with the highest standards of sustainability and eco-tourism. +960 300-4649 go@oceangroup.mv SILVER SANDS

Silver Sands Pvt. Ltd. has been in the inbound travel business since its inception. In 2005, the Company expanded into resort-based recreational activities and has been investing in and managing dive and water sports operations at 11 luxury resorts in the Maldives. Chandhaneege, 2nd Floor, Alhivilaa Magu, Male', 20292, +960 301 7777, sales@silversands.com.mv

SONEE HARDWARE

Sonee Hardware is one of the largest hardware businesses in the Maldivian market. They offer a broad range of products, from hardware to kitchen tools. The company which started from 1970 since then has grown from one outlet to six.

Sonee Building, No. 7, Ibrahim Hassan Didi Magu, K. Male, Maldives, +960 333 6699, info@sonee.com.mv

SQUID MALDIVES

Squid Maldives is a leading company operating in the distribution of diving equipment and services. The Male’ based company is the sole authorised distributor of Mares, Coltri, DAN, and SSI services in the Maldives. Squid Maldives, Shop #1/29, Chandhanee Magu, 20189, Male, +960 723 9458, sales@mare.mv Hotel Insider

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Electrical, Energy, Water FSM

Established in 2000, FSM is a comprehensive fuel service provider that continuously seeks ways of improving its services and efficiencies through latest technologies and best practices. FSM works vigorously to improve their capacity and meet the challenges and the ever-growing expectations of their customers. Fuel Supplies Maldives Pvt Ltd, STO Aifaanu Building, 4th Floor, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male’, Maldives, +960 333-6655 ILAA

ILAA aims to provide environmentally sound world quality products to the resorts of the Maldives to protect and preserve the delicate environment. The company provides renowned quality products for clean power, solid and liquid waste management and electric vehicles. Lot No: 10637, Zone: M2-24, Onugas Magu, Hulhumale’ 23000, +960 335 5751, info@ilaamaldives.com, ilaamaldives.com MWSC

Established in 1995, Male’ Water and Sewerage Company is the pioneer organization in the Maldives to institute a water production and wastewater management system. MWSC has become a multi-disciplinary engineering and manufacturing organization, providing engineering solutions for integrated utilities. Fen Building, 5th Floor, Ameenee Magu, 20375, Male, +960 332 3209, pr@mwsc.com.mv, mwsc.com.mv PLANKTON ENGINEERING

Plankton Engineering is one of the well-recognized names in the Maldives for designing, assembling, and supplying high quality panels. These include metering, generator control panels, high voltage panels, VFD Panles. The company builds and assembles electric panels in their workshop in accordance with industry quality standards. 1st Floor, H.Thonada, Janavaree Magu, 20045, +960 330 3678, info@ plankton.com.mv, plankton.com.mv STATIC COMPANY

Static Company Pvt Ltd's primary objectives are in the fields of mechanical and electrical engineering and water treatment. The company’s main activities include the design. contracting, supply of power generation and distribution of equipment, etc. M.Huraa, Fareedhee Magu, Male', Maldives, +960 331 0313, info@static-company.com

LE CUTE LIFESTYLE

Lintel Investments and Management Services Pvt. Ltd. is a wholly Maldivianowned company registered and operating in the Maldives as one of the country’s leading distributors of luxury fashion, beauty and lifestyle electronics brands. Le Cute Lifestyle Electronics is the official distributor for Panasonic, BOSCH Home Appliances, Electrolux, Marshall and Bowers & Wilkins brand of products in the Maldives. +960 301 0200, info@lintel.com.mv, lintel.com.mv REEFSIDE

Reefside Maldives is recognised as a leader in selling original watches and electronic products in Maldives. Reefside is the authorized service centre for LG, Sony, Bose and Nikon Electronic products in the Maldives and offers local and international after sales service guarantee. KKM Building, 03, Orchid Magu, P.O. Box 20189, +960 332 3545, reefside@reefsidemaldives.com, reefsidemaldives.com REFCOOL INVESTMENTS

Established in October 2002, REFCOOL has national reach and vision, offering exciting products and services that touch everyday lives of the people. Being in the business only for a few years, REFCOOL has already gained recognition as a major player in the rapidly evolving tourism and construction industry of the Maldives.

1st Floor, M. Seena, Varudhee Hingun, Male', 20253, 330 9900, info@refcool.com.mv, refcool.com.mv STATE TRADING ORGANIZATION (STO)

STO group, with its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates, is a national leader in business. It also focuses on petroleum, cooking gas, construction materials, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals, home appliances, electronics, supermarket products and insurance. STO Head Office Building, Maafanu, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male', +960 334 4333, info@stomaldives.net, sto.mv

Event, Lighting, Sound AZIDON

Azidon specialises in sound reinforcement, stage lighting and turn-key events and projects in Maldives. Azidon’s technical planning and process-oriented approach aims to deliver a flawless result that will impress. Azidon Pvt Ltd, H. Maafilaage, Ground Floor, Kaasinjee Magu, Malé, +960 330 0999, info@azidon.com DOAV

THE HAWKS

One of the leading fuel supply companies in the Maldives, the Hawks' services include fuel supply to inhabited islands, resorts, industrial and commercial projects, as well as sales and distribution of fuel related equipment. Bunkering services are provided both domestically and internationally to fishing vessels, ferries, safaris, cargo ships, cruise vessels, super and mega yachts. +960 334 0949, info@thehawks.biz

DOAV makes it possible to monitor and manage equipment, building management systems, scheduling, security, lighting, shades, HVAC, and energy consumption in real-time, all from a single dashboard to maximize system uptime, optimize investments in people, technology, and spaces, and ensure a great user experience.

Ground & 1st Floor, H. Fennaage, Buruzu Magu Male', 20054, Maldives, +960 3009600, info@doavonline.net, doavonline.net EVENT MALDIVES

URBAN INVESTMENT

Urban Investment Pvt Ltd is a distinguished supplier of electrical home appliances and is also one of the leading resort suppliers. The company operates three shops in the capital, Male', having a variety of products ranging from electric kettles to air-conditioners and generators. Urban Investment Pvt Ltd, Neena, 2nd Flr, Keneeri Magu, Male’, +960 331 7019, sales@urbaninvestment.net VAMCO

VAMCO's vision is to create long lasting solutions that customers will appreciate.

The company prides itself in creating customized packages (product solutions) for fishermen, cargo-vessels and for inter-island ferry operators as well as playing a role in bringing mobility to Maldivians. +960 332 1169, marketing@vamco.com. mv, vamco.com.mv

Electronics & Accessories ASTERS

Asters is a leading provider of high quality and affordable home and office furniture, electronic appliances, technology products and office supplies. Also supplies home, outdoor furniture, office furniture, IT solutions, stationery, office supplies and equipment. +960 3316464, sales@asters.com.mv 46

Hotel Insider

EVENT MALDIVES is a team of young, creative and passionate professionals with extensive experience in events and entertainment. The objective is to make each and every event a unique experience. These include live shows, live events, ceremonies, exhibitions, product launch events and various other events. sales@ musicworldmaldives.com, musicworldmaldives.com

Food & Beverages AIRSEAFOODS

AirSeaFoods is a hotel, resort, restaurant & supermarket supply company, specialised in all kind of food, delivered from anywhere in the world to your place and/or your business, at a fast reliable way, with the best possible prices in the market. M. Baaranaage Hulhangubai, Majeedhee Magu, Male, Maldives, +960 333 2889, export@airseafoods.de, airseafoods.de ARIES MALDIVES

Pyramid was founded three decades ago and is one of the leading distributor for fast moving consumable goods (FMCG) in Maldives. Currently the main lines of products are juices, coffee, teas, biscuits, pasta, baked beans, cooking chocolate, flour tortillas etc. Representing some of the finest international brands and committed to serve resort market in Maldives for more than 30 years. 1st Foor, STO Trade Centre, Orchid Magu, +960 3328658 marketing@ariesmaldives.com

BESTBUY MALDIVES (BBM)

Bestbuy Maldives (BBM), is a leading supplier to resorts, offering top brands and solutions. BBM is continuously evolving in line with the changing needs of its clients and is one of the most innovative supply operations in the Maldives.

Aagé 2nd Floor 02-02, 12 Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Malé , 20094. +960 332 0850, hello@bb-mld.com CITY INVESTMENTS

SEAGULL FOODS

Seagull Foods specialises in the import, wholesale and retail of food of the finest quality, in regards to fresh produce as well as processed food. Seagull Group also runs an agricultural and fisheries project on the island of Maafahi for fresh fish products and produce. G, Thundi, Ameenee Magu, Male' +960 334 3663, foods@seagullmaldives.com SIMDI RESU

City Investments (Pvt) Ltd was founded in 2002, and deals in bakery products.

It deals with some top F&B brands including Pregel Gelato and cocktail products from Italy, Darbo fruit jams from Austria, Fentimans soft drinks from England, Truchillo Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans from Italy and various other products. City Investments, Orchid Magu, Male, +960 799 0558, info@city.com.mv, city.com.mv

SIMDI Resu is a leading supplier of restaurant and bar products such as the prestigious Sambonet and Matfer ranges. The company also supplies leading Italian coffee brands and automatic coffee machines. Established in 1988, SIMDI Resu has become one of the most successful and competitive suppliers of cost effective, state of the art, quality resort-ware. H. Casia, Kasinjee Magu, Male’ 20-044, +960 333 4483, resu@simdi.com, simdi.com

COSMOPOLITIAN

STANDARD AND ORIGIN (S&O)

Cosmopolitan –a leading Hotel, Restaurant & Resort Supply Company with exemplary and superior quality service. Products range - Frozen & Chilled meat, Dairy & Cheese, Brown Eggs, Frozen Juice, Dry Goods, Seafood, Beverages, Wines & Spirits. Our vision is to be the most preferred Hotel, Restaurant & Resort Supplier in Maldives. Omadu Fannu, 4th Floor, Haveeree Hingun, Maafannu, +0096331 0477, info@cosmpolitan.com.mv www.cosmopolitan.com.mv CYPREA FOOD & BEVERAGE

Formed in 2014, Cyprea F.N.B Private Limited is a subsidiary company of the ‘Cyprea Group’. Having associated with reputed brands from many parts of the world it is an emergent supplier for a range of dry, frozen, beverage and specialty products to the local market and resort sector. ‘The Cyprea’, 66/17, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male’, Maldives. +960 3013032, info@cypreafnb.com.mv EURO MARKETING

Founded in August 1997, the main purpose of Euro Marketing Pvt. Ltd. is to deliver daily merchantable non-alcoholic beverages and other snacks to the rapidly growing tourism industry of the Maldives. Additionally, serving consumer grocery retailers as well as restaurants, hotels, resorts and other food service establishments. Ma, Favourite, Chandhanee Magu, K. Male', +960 332 0022, euromarketingmaldives.com FANTASY STORE

Fantasy Pvt Ltd supplies food selected from international locales. Products include fruit, wine, meat, pastries, cereals and others. 1st Floor, M. Velaaluge, Fareedhee Magu, Male', +960 332 4668, fantasy@dhivehinet.net.mv

Standard and Origin, (S & O) dedicates in the food & beverage suppliers through being the brand equity and innovation. Among the tourism industry of Maldives, by becoming the Exclusive distributor of worlds famous brands like KraftHeinz, Kimberly Clark Professional, Del Monte, Pasfrost, Mydibel, Etc. Standard & Origin Pvt Ltd H. Sifa, 5th Floor Boduthakurufaanu Magu Male', +960 301 5544 sales@sno.com.mv.

UNITED FOOD SUPPLIERS

United Food Suppliers (United) is one of the fastest growing businesses in the Maldives specialising in supply, storage and distribution of temperature controlled foods mainly geared towards the resort industry. United Food Suppliers, 5th Floor, M. Alia Building, Gandhakoalhi Magu, Male, +960 330 0777, info@ufs.com.mv VB BROTHERS

VB Brothers is one of the top FMCG distributors in the Maldives. The company has the ability of acquiring world's top brands such as Mars chocolates, Kellogg’s cornflakes, Johnson & Johnson products and Lo’real and Garnier products directly from their sources. VB Brothers Pvt Ltd, MF Building, 9th Floor, Chandhanee Magu, Male', Maldives, +960 330 3329, rsd@vbbrothers.com.mv WRIST RESORT SUPPLY

Wrist Resort Supply is located in the Middle East and offer a one-stop-shop solution for the Resorts and provide global 24/7/365 service Our wide assortment of Food (chilled, perishables, dry, dairy, frozen) and Non-food range are delivered by air freight and sea freight from Dubai and Europe. Contacts: +960 7891215, resort@wrist.com

HAPPY MARKET

Happy Market Trading Company Pvt Ltd (HMT) is a premium food and beverage importer & distributor operating in the Maldives. The company has exclusive distributorship of several world renowned F&B brands. M. Newplot, Ameenee Magu, Male`, +960 331 3523, info@happymarket.com.mv, happymarket.com.mv LILY ENTERPRISES

Lily Enterprises mainly focuses on handling and distributing several internationally renowned brands, as well as marketing and promoting them in the Maldives.

Additionally, the company is recognised for its efforts in providing efficient service and effective marketing strategies. Ahmadhee Bazaar, Male' 20182, +960 332 3236, info@lilyenterprises.com MADIHAA COMPANY

MADIHAA Company is a leading importer and distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables in the Maldives. The company has diversified into other areas such as frozen products, confectioneries, household items and beauty products recently, becoming a shopping hub for the retailers throughout the Maldives. M. Dharavandhooge Uthuruge, First Floor, Lainoofaru Magu, 20223, Male’, +960 332 8827, madicom@dhivehinet.net.mv, madihaa.com MHA

MHA imports and distributes an extensive range of F&B products. They include key ice cream brands such as Walls, Nestle and London Dairy. Other top brands in their portfolio include Milo, Al Shifa Honey, Crown Dates and Crumpy. MHA also carries personal care products including lotions, aftershaves, body sprays and bath products. Contact: +960 334 3694, sales@mha.com.mv,mha.com.mv

Engineering & Marine AS MARINE MALDIVES

AS Marine Maldives, a joint venture between AS Marine Dubai and Coastline Investment Pvt Ltd offers a range of services from boat repairs to refurbishments of boats’ structure and systems, with a wide range of boat types and brands. AS Marine Maldives provides complete solutions from the drawing board to delivery. +960 799 8590, info@asmarinemaldives.com HASSAN MARINE

Established in 1999, with a service center specialising in repair, installation and maintenance of out-board engines, Hassan Marine is the exclusive distributor in the Maldives of Mercury Engines, Quicksilver Parts & Accessories, Attwood Marine Products, NGK Spark Plugs, Seafirst Steering Systems and many more.

M. Kakolhas, Izzudheen Magu, Male', +960 300 7044, info@hassanmarine.com, hassanmarine.com MTCC

Maldives Transport & Contracting Company (MTCC) provides a diversified range of products and services, such as construction and project management services, logistical operations, modern transport services, engineering and docking services and an extensive range of reputed products as, Yanmar and Suzuki marine engines, Hamilton propulsion system, Castrol lubricants, Sigma protective coatings, Scott Bader boat building composite. 7th Floor, MTCC Tower, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male', Maldives, +960 332 6822, Hotel Insider

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OFFSHORE

Offshore's main focus is on the design and construction of safari yachts, dive boats, ferries, 4th generation fishing vessels and speedboats. These include hi-tech high-speed crafts and cargo carriers as well. Additional services include designing sophisticated yachts and boats, project costing, stability reports, turnkey boat building, supervision of projects and inspection, and consultancy. sales@offshore. mv, offshore.mv

Furniture & Flooring ALLORA PAN HOME

Allora Pan Home is the sole distributor of a leading Asian furniture brand "SB" in the Maldives. Visit Allora's showroom to experience the many options available to make your home a place of comfort and style. SB products are reputed for their design, quality and value for money. Allora Pan Home, Hithaffinivaa Magu, Male', Maldives, +960 332 5105, info@panocean.com.mv DAMAS

Damas Pvt Ltd. provides a wide range of products and services including real estate development & management, logistics & moving services, IT services, food and beverages, construction and fabrication materials, and resort equiptment such as cutlery and crockery, hotel linen, cold room items & implements. +960 333 3000, info@damas.com.mvdesign EVO

EVO is dedicated to providing high quality, creative interior solutions to meet the needs in interior planning and designing. As exclusive distributor of Germany’s top brands such as Nolte Kitchens, Express Kitchens and Csshmal, Evo Home aims to offer clients the best of furniture technology in the Maldives. evohome.mv FORTSEN

Fortsen offers specialized products & services to the architectural, residential & industrial sector. With its prime focus on interior finishing & furnishing, the company has developed a comprehensive range of wooden laminate floorings, windows blinds & specialty decorative stones. Contact: 332 6662, email: info@fortsen.mv PALM GLOW

Palm Glow provides hygiene and maintenance solutions while continuously reassessing the commitment to professional hygiene and maintenance, to ensure that the customers are always up to date with the latest in technology, and is always supported from inception throughout the relationship cycle. Ma. Uthuru Innaage, 5A, Nikagas Magu, 20164, Male', +960 300 9700, palmglow.com SPECTRA

Spectra PLC is an interior product supply and service provider, specialising in ceilings, laminate and wooden floors, window tints, carpets, rugs, wallpaper and many more such products. They have a wide range of experience designing everything from government buildings, education institutes, theater and convention centers, to bedrooms. Faamudheyrige, Maafannu, Orchid Magu, Male’, 20209, +960 333 0099, info@spectra.mv

IT Solutions & Networking

DHIVEHI VIUGA

Dhivehi Viuga (DV) is a network infrastructure solution provider that offers stateof-the-art service through a mixed team of local and foreign professionals with the mission of delivering unparalleled service and support to both the Maldivian and international markets. H. Soanary, 5th Floor, Boduthakurufaamu Magu, 20026 Male’, +960 334 4652, info@dhivehiviuga.com ETALK

Etalk Pvt Ltd provides customers with a unique range of products and services that are fully customisable and suited to homes, local businesses, offices, shops and the hospitality industry. The company designs, installs and services surveillance systems, access control systems, networks, business automation. Husnuheena Magu, 2002 Male', +960 3329132, sales@etalk.com.mv LINK SERVE

Link Serve Pvt Ltd is the one-stop shop for IT and security requirements. It handles installation & maintenance of CCTV systems, door phone systems, Local Area Networking, PABX Systems, access control systems, time & attendance systems, motion detectors, fire extinguishers, installation solar power systems, installation of alarm systems. +960 300 3000, helpdesk@linkserve.com.mv MAXCOM

Maxcom Technologies was established in 2005 and is now one of the foremost IT hardware and IT solution centres in the Maldives. It also distributes the brand Dell and offers a variety of products and services such as storage and networking, tablets and laptops. +960 333 0034, sales@maxcom.com.mv PERSONAL COMPUTERS

Established in 2008, Personal Computers is one of the most reputed names in the IT sector of the Maldives. With two outlets in key areas of Male’ and a dedicated service center, the company provides a comprehensive range of technology solutions that enhance the IT experience of their customers. Personal Computers ensure that the products are 100% genuine and meet the expected quality standards. For inquiries call +960 3003033, info@personalcomputers.mv, personalcomputers.mv ROSEWARE

RoseWare Corporation Pvt Ltd was established with the objective of providing bestof-breed IT solutions for small and midsize businesses, with skills, resources, and expertise to give clients a recognizable edge while opening up a world of powerful resources. Ma. South Shine, Chandhenee Magu, Male', +960 330 8554, info@rosewarecorp.com SYSTEMS SOLUTIONS

Serving since 2010, Systems Solutions Pvt. Ltd is an international software development and consulting company. Services provided by the company include IT consultancy, software development, offshore development, outsourcing services, ERP implementations, Content Management Systems (CMS), mobile application development and web development. M. Alia Building, 7th Floor, Gandhakoalhi Magu, Male', Maldives, +960 301 1355, info@solutions.com.mv

Internet, Telecommunication, TV DHIRAAGU

Click Computers is a reputed IT company providing turnkey IT solutions. It offers the latest IT solutions to multinationals, government agencies, private sector parties including hotels and resorts. The company deals with major brands including Dell, Acer, HP, Samsung, Apple and Asus among others. M. Borneo, Male', +960 334 2002, sales@clickmaldives.com

Dhiraagu is one of the largest telecommunications operator in the country offering total solutions and a comprehensive range of mobile, internet, data and fixed line services throughout the Maldives. With nearly three decades of excellence and a proven record of success, we provide mobile, enterprise and fixed broadband services. Dhiraagu Head Office, Ameenee Magu, P.O. Box 2082, 20403 Male, +960 332 2802, 123@dhiraagu.com.mv

COMPUTER PLUS

MEDIANET

CLICK COMPUTERS

Computer Plus Pvt. Ltd is a leading vendor of computer products & services in the Maldives. It aims to provide a comprehensive and wide range of services and products to fulfill the requirements of the information technology sector from system design, procurement, and installation to maintenance of computer hardware as well as providing regular and custom software. M.Send Rose, Iskandharu Magu, Male', +960 333 4862, sales@computerplus.com.mv 48

Hotel Insider

Medianet is one of the largest pay-tv broadcasters in the Maldives with over 30,000 subscribers. The company has an ever-increasing client base and content. Medianet has acquired the license and rights to the best available contents for this region, and offers impressive packages separately for the hotels and resorts in the Maldives.

Medianet Pvt Ltd, H.Sisil Hiya (Second Floor), Majeedhi Magu, 20071, Male', +960 332 0800, customerservice@medianet.com.mv

OOREDOO

Ooredoo Maldives provides an extensive range of innovative voice, data and high speed broadband internet services tailored to the growing needs of today’s consumers and businesses. Ooredoo's services include fixed & wireless broadband internet, total resort solutions, mobile money services, and smart solutions.

Ooredoo made history by launching the first ever and fastest 3G & 4G networks in the Maldives. H. Sunleet, 5th Floor PO Box 2196 Boduthakurufaanu Magu Male', +960 961 1000, 929@ooredoo.mv, ooredoo.mv

Logistics & Transportation ASIA FORWARDING

Asia Forwarding is intimately acquainted with the carriers in all trade lanes so that they can direct your cargo in the most suitable way, whether your goal is to minimize freight costs, obtain the best packing, storage and warehousing, or meet seemingly ‘impossible’ deadlines. Asia Forwarding is a didicated team of professionals attending to your needs in a professional manner. +960 334 3041, info@theasiaforwarding.com CENTURION TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS

Centurion PLC's operations revolve around shipping, freight management, warehousing, distribution, logistics management, ship ownership & management, protection & indemnity. Providing reliable and effective transport solutions to the shipping and airline industry, specializing in the delivery of cargo to any location within Maldives. The company operates from three locations in the Maldives, covering the nothern and southern ports. Faamudheyrige, Orchid Magu, Male', Maldives, +960 333 8530, info@centurion.mv, centurion.mv LEO TRADING

Leo Trading Pvt. Ltd. started its operation in the early 2000s. The key expert areas of the company include leasing of heavy construction equipment, shipment clearance, cargo clearance, discharging shipments, excavating, back filing & compacting, and constructing underwater pipelines and sewerage systems. Leo Trading Pvt. Ltd, M. Three & One, Haveeree Hingun, Male', Maldives, leo@leotrading.mv, +960 300 6638 LITUS

Established in 2012, Litus Maldives Pvt Ltd is a project logistics management company delivering cost-effective solutions throughout the Maldives. The company develops comprehensive project logistics and construction materials and resort supply service plans tailored to meet specific requirements of customers. M. Manaaziruge, Majeedheemagu, 20305, Male’, +960 300 3999, info@litusmaldives.com, litusmaldives.com TTS

Total Transport Solutions is one of the leading shipping, freight forwarding & logistics service providers in the Maldives. They offer a range of products and services varying from liner agencies, feeder operations, airline GSA, vessel husbanding and project cargo logistics. Additionally providing services such as sea freight, Air Freight, Express Courier to the most recent expansion into Inter-Atoll Logistics, bunkering and many other services7th Floor, Ma. Maadheli, Majeedhee Magu, Male', +960 301 1888, info@ttsgroup.mv

COPIER PLUS

Copier plus Pvt. Ltd. was established with the focus of providing a total office automation solution to the Maldives. With Toshiba tech on board, Copier Plus was launched in 2004 with a showroom and a service center. In 2008, the company added Brother International’s merchandise to its product line. H. Kuredimaage, Majeedhee Magu, Male', 960 331 2121, info@copierplus.com.mv, copierplus.com.mv M7 PRINT

M7 Print Pvt Ltd. was established in December 2007. The company's products and services include offset printing and production of eco-friendly paper shopping bags and other products and solutions. It is one of the largest printers in the country proving retail and wholesale services across all the economic sectors.

M7 Print, Ameeneemagu, Male', 20033, +960 330 7787, print@m7maldives.com, m7maldives.com NOVELTY PRINTERS & PUBLISHERS

Novelty Printers & Publishers Pvt. Ltd. was founded in 1965 by Mr. Ali Hussain as a home business. From manual stencil to letterpress to offset printing, the company today is one of the nation's largest and leading providers of printing, publishing and related services. M. Utility, Male, 20340, +960 331 8844, printers.novelty.com.mv, novelty.com.mv PROCURE PLUS

Procure Plus supplies office stationery, including printers, printer toner & cartridges, and computer accessories, tea room facilities, cleaning appliances and document solutions at competitive prices. Penton Villa, Male', +960 332 6220, sales@procuremaldives.com, procuremaldives.com

Safety and Security ANTIFIRE

Antifire Maldives deals with various safety products including fire extinguishers, fire alarm systems, fire hose reel systems, dry riser systems, hydrant systems and automatic fire suppression systems. G. Graces, Male', +960 331 0322, admin@ antifiremaldives.com, antifiremaldives.com GAGE

GAGE Pvt Ltd provides security with round the clock coverage and ensures the safety of their clients. The company's services are rendered by skilled professionals in an organised and disciplined manner. H. Noomuraka, 1st Floor, Hadheebee Magu, Male', +960 330 4055, projects@gage.com.mv, gage.com.mv GLOBAL FIRE SERVICES

Global Fire Services Pvt Ltd is dedicated to protecting lives, properties and the environment from the perils of fire. With highly qualified professionals, latest technologies and years of experience, the company uses modern fire prevention methods and progressive public safety education for the benefit of the community.

M. Kadhuruma, Fandiyaaru Magu, Male’, Maldives, +960 301 6616, info@gfsmaldives.com, gfsmaldives.com PESTEX MALDIVES

Office Supply & Printing Services

PestEX Maldives is engaged in importing and distributing pest control products to both domestic and corporate clients. Additionally PestEX Maldives is a trusted pest management service provider of many corporate bodies such as resorts, restaurants, safari boats, commercial and industrial sites etc. PestEX Building, Neeloafaru Magu, Galolhu, 333 8009, info@pestexmaldives.com

ASRAFEE BOOKSHOP

PESTERMINATORS

CHANDLIER

SAVIOURS

Asrafee Bookshop was established in 1976. Since then the company has earned a reputation for offering a wide range of products from stationery, educational materials, books, art supplies and so on. Asrafee Bookshop, Chaandhanee Magu, Male', +960 332 3424, asrafee@asrafee.com Chandelier Company Pvt Ltd is a stationery and office equipment supplier in the Maldives. The company deals with government offices, schools, banks, organizations, hotels and resorts as well as the private sector. +960 332 7858, sales@chandelier.com.mv

Pesterminators Pvt. Ltd. is not just another pest control company that sells chemicals. Pesterminators is a unique concept developed by Agro Services with the motive of being the one-stop-shop for all pest control requirements. +960 334 2930, info@pesterminators.com.mv

Saviours Pvt. Ltd. is a customer oriented company, intending to serve the market need for a professional and customer focused security and safety solution provider.

The company emphasises services and support, as well as offers a wide range of quality products which are state-of-the-art. 7999966, info@savioursmaldives.com Hotel Insider

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Travel Agent & Tour Operator ACE TRAVELS MALDIVES

Ace Travels Maldives provides both inbound and outbound tours in the Maldives.

The company is a fully owned subsidiary of Aitken Spence Travels Pvt Ltd. Aitken Spence Travels is a joint venture between Aitken Spence PLC and TUI Travel PLC. Ace Travels Maldives, H. East Light, Ameer Ahmed Magu, Male', +960 3338026, sales@acetravelsmaldives.com CANOPUS MALDIVES

Canopus Maldives offers a range of services to clients, including destination management through Aqua Sun, which offers complete solutions to inbound services to the Maldives. Moreover it supplies award-winning Atomix and AlMakreb brand speedboats through Surpass, who also supplies Italian coffee and coffee makers for homes, restaurants and offices. +960 332 1079, info@canopusmaldives.com CAPITAL TRAVEL & TOURS

Capital Group is a network of companies owned and managed by the principle company Capital Travel & Tours Private Limited, established in 1991. The company's primary actvity initially was to operate as an in-bound travel agent in the Maldives. Today, Capital Travel has well over 500 partners around the world. M. Banff Villa, 4th Floor, Majeedhee Magu, Male’, +960 331 5089, capital@ dhivehinet.mv, capitaltravel.com SPLENDID ASIA

Splendid Asia is a tour operator based in the Maldives. The company offers tours of the Maldives' beautiful beaches and divespots while offering a range of activities and sports. Splendid Asia is dedicated in promoting the cultural and natural treasures of the Maldives. G. Kasthoorige, Male', +960 331 2460, info@splendidasia.com, splendidasia.com SUNLAND TRAVEL

With more than 30 years of experience in holiday operating, Sunland Group diversified to Sunland Journeys in 2014. Sunland was established in 1988 and its travel arm arranges personalised journeys for travellers via Singapore Airlines.

H. Moonlit Villa, 1st Floor, Medhuziyaaraiy Magu, Male, +960 331 0031, airsvc@ sunland.com.mv, sunlandjourneys.com VOYAGES MALDIVES

Established in 1980, Voyages Maldives is one of the leading travel and tour companies in the Maldives. Voyages has over 30 years of invaluable experience in the industry and is labelled as one of the largest companies of its kind. M. Narugis, Chaandhanee Magu, Male', +960 332 2019, tours@voyagesmaldives.com, voyagesmaldives.com

Wellness COSMERC

Cosmerc Maldives Pvt Ltd is a company with several years of experience. The company's collection features a wide range of organic shampoos, shower gels, body lotions and other cosmetic and beauty products. M. Naka, Jambu Magu, Male', Maldives, +960 991 5588, sales@cosmerc.com, cosmerc.com DUNIYE SPA

Duniye Spa, a leading spa-wellness management & consultancy company in the Maldives, was founded in 2002 by a group of international hotel owners with the vision to provide a special place for holistic well-being and world class spa treatments. Duniye Spa, Champa Building, 3rd floor, 20187 Male', Republic of Maldives, T. +960 664 3157, duniyespasdirector@meeru.com MEDICAL SWISS BEAUTY

Medicsl Swiss Beauty allows customers to unwind and enjoy the benefits of beauty treatments in a centre devoted exclusively to health & rejuvenation. H. Starlit Villa (Ground Floor), Abadhah Fehi Magu, Male', +960 797 500 50

Hotel Insider

SERENA SPA

Serena Spa: a haven of peace & tranquility set against the ambience of natural beauty, for those who wish to relax, restore and rejuvenate body, mind and spirit.

Operating in 9 locations in the Maldives, Serena Spa's boutique offers an eclectic selection of spa products, including incense, massage oils, bath blitzes, burners and more. Serena Spa Pvt Ltd, M. West End, Male', Maldives, +960 331 3866, maldives@serenaspa.com