Author: Mohamed Reehaan
Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed said on Wednesday, the Maldives government is preparing to enter into a preferential trade agreement with Turkey. The minister said this on X and added that trade relations between the two countries have improved since President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu made his official visit to Turkey earlier. According to Saeed, both Turkey and Maldives governments were now engaged in high level negotiations prior to entering into the agreement, that would see Turkey extending special tariff rates on preferential items exported to the Maldives. Senior government officials from both countries met at the Ministry…
State Electric Company (STELCO) has advised the public to economize and minimize electricity consumption, in light of recent surges in output. STO Managing Director Hussain Fahmy on Wednesday, said via X, that this year’s Ramadan coincided with the hottest period in the country. He noted that electrical output is generally above the average usage limit during Ramadan every year. “Statistics show the usage of an average of 94 megawatt in electricity output in Greater Male’ region, however, currently 104.7 megawatt of electricity is used,” Fahmy said. Utility consumption, inclusive of water and electricity, generally observes above-average usage or consumption in…
Marriott International held the graduation ceremony for the Maldives Apprenticeship Program graduates on March 16, 2024 at Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa. The event was attended by Ibrahim Waheed, the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts as the guest of honor, who was accompanied by Gautam Bhandari, the Senior Vice President, Hotel Development & Operations, Marriott International; and March Fletcher, Area Director of Human Resources, Singapore & Maldives, Marriott International. The Marriott International Maldives Apprenticeship Program, was created in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment during the previous administration, and the Maldives Institute…
Guest arrivals to the Maldives has exceeded well over 500,000, according to the latest update from the Ministry of Tourism. As per the ministry, tourist arrivals as of March 19, 2024 reached 524,339; indicating a 13% growth in terms of annual arrivals compared to the same period last year, during which arrivals stood at 463,898. This figure is achieved despite a major slip off by the country’s strongest tourist market, India, from its top spot to sixth this year; owing to a heat row between the two countries originating from derogatory comments made by some senior Maldivian government officials against…
Villa Haven, the new luxury flagship resort of Villa Resorts, is scheduled for a late 2024 opening according to the hospitality brand. Situated in South Ari Atoll, the 73-villa sanctuary highlights a notable milestone for the locally owned tourism and hospitality brand. Villa Haven is “meticulously crafted to cater to a discerning group of travelers known as the Simple Sybarites”; the property embraces the philosophy of prioritizing sufficiency over excess since the Sybarites uphold the principle of “less is more”. Boasting 73 exquisite sea-facing villas and residences, each abode is adorned with its own private pool. The resort will also…
Patina Maldives has introduced a series of artistic immersions for the month of March, with the Dice Ideas Workshop Series and sketching workshops by Tony Jaggas. Guests are welcome to explore creative expression and self-discovery by tapping into their artistic side with this new series. The property will host Dice Ideas Workshop Series, under the artistic series, from March 06 to March 20, where Ben and Ross, the two behind the Dice Ideas will provide guests with the opportunity to engage in creative efforts, crafting portraits and mosaic using dice as their medium. Besides this, Patina Maldives will serve the…
Maldives President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has introduced “Ras’ain”, a mobile application specifically designed for local fishers and travelers. The app, introduced at the ceremony where Dr. Muizzu launched MNDF’s Air Corps and introduced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) unit into the Defense Force, tracks weather alerts and important messages from Coast Guard. Fishers and travelers can use the app to locate schools of fish and utilize it for other vital functions as well. In the report issued to the public domain by the government, this new app will include the updated Maldives’ map as well. The report highlights this app will…
Faresmaathoda Airport celebrates one year of committed service in the Maldivian aviation industry. Reflecting on one of the youngest airports in the Maldives, Regional Airports Company Limited (RACL), its operator, said on X, the airport has served over 11,000 passengers during its first year. RACL reports a total of 272 flights landed in Faresmaathoda Airport during its first year. Faresmaathoda Airport, which is the third airport in Gaafu Dhaalu atoll, officially opened on March 15, 2023 during the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Dhiraagu announces partnering up with Mission for Migrant Workers Maldives (MMWM) to donate and distribute iftar meal packs to the expat community. According to Dhiraagu, it ran a collaborative effort with MMWM to distribute iftar meal packs to expatriates living in Male’ and Hulhumale’. The initiative aligns with the corporate social responsibility (CSR) objectives of the telecom and internet service provider. Dhiraagu’s partner in the effort, MMWM is the first registered NGO in the Maldives advocating for the rights of migrant workers.
Coco Collection has announced the premium hospitality brand has been once again nominated for multiple World Travel Awards (WTA) in the 2024 edition. The hospitality brand confirms being nominated as Indian Ocean’s Leading Boutique Hotel Brand for this year’s WTA; which Coco Collection said was a “fantastic recognition” for the locally owned brand. For this year’s World Travel Awards, Coco Collection is nominated in the following; Coco Bodu Hithi: nominated in the categories of Indian Ocean’s Leading Boutique Hotel, Indian Ocean’s Most Romantic Resort, Maldives’ Leading Boutique Resort 2024, and Maldives Leading Luxury Island Resort 2024 Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu:…