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| BY NAHRAIN JOHN 01 Dec 2015 |
The Maldives – you can see its clear blue waters in stunning imagery and hear about its breathtaking beauty from anyone who has had the chance to visit.
It attracts thousands of Australians every year and is booming as a holiday getaway for local couples and adventure seekers.
In fact it’s so popular amongst Australian travellers that between January and September this year over 15,000 Australians travelled to the Maldives – an increase of 17 percent over the last two years.
This huge growth came despite having little-to-no official representation in the local market.
With such natural success amongst Aussies, it’s no wonder the tropical nation has turned its attention to our travellers and appointed Unique Tourism Collection as its first-ever Australian representation office.
Speaking to KarryOn last night at the Maldives Showcase in Sydney, Maldives’ local rep, Svetlana Jovanovic said while the destination has had significant success without a local office, there’s still a lot of room for growth and awareness.
“We’re really going to focus on the Maldives next year and get the message about the destination out there to agents and consumers.”
Svetlana Jovanovic, Unique Tourism Collection GM
Increasing awareness about the Maldives will start with consultants who received their first dose of the destination at the Showcase last night.
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| Former Miss Australia/Oceania, Erin Holland, is one of brand ambassadors in line to promote the destination. |
She explained that educationals will be hosted by the office or by wholesalers. She said Unique Tourism Collection will also assist agents who want to visit the destination on their own.
Additionally, there’ll be a major PR push under the campaign name ‘2016 Visit Maldives Year’ and brand ambassadors such as Former Miss Australia/Oceania, Erin Holland, will represent the destination and showcase their own experiences in the Maldives.
“We’re going to pitch the destination as aspirational and a destination people can buy in with whatever level they can afford.”
Svetlana Jovanovic, Unique Tourism Collection GM
According to Jovanovic, while Australian honeymooners are a traditional market, the destination also receives a number of snorkellers, divers and surfers.
Simon Clancy from Freestyle Holidays (one of the first Australian wholesalers to go to the Maldives) concurred, saying the destination has something for everyone.
Also speaking to KarryOn, he explained that the destination is designed to cater to couples who want their privacy to families who require safety and the individuals looking for something a little more exciting.
“It’s the perfect holiday destination. There’s so much for everyone to do but the if you’re looking for specifics, the water and food are reason enough to go.”
Simon Clancy, Freestyle Holidays
He continued, explaining that while it may be a little further away from Australia than Fiji or Hawaii, it offers an isolation that only the destination’s coral atolls and islands can provide.
Check back on KarryOn later this week to find out what Former Miss Australia/Oceania, Erin Holland loves about the Maldives.
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