According to the figures put out by Maldives Immigration, over 7,500 Indians visited Maldives in November 2021!
So if you are a travel agent who actively deals in/wants to sell Maldives, then this blog might just be right for you!
In Maldives, pristine beaches and azure waters are guaranteed but each resort is unique, constantly evolving, and redefining the concept of luxury to fit with changing client expectations and trends.
As travel picks up pace in the ‘New Normal’, there are a few things that you, as a travel agent, need to keep in mind before planning your customer’s trip to the Maldives.
Let us delve a little deeper and analyze the things which will help you sell the premium destination of Maldives easily!
1. COVID Guidelines
Keep yourself updated with the latest health protocols and Standard Operating Procedures being followed before you plan your customers’ trip to the Maldives.
The Current COVID Guidelines that are being followed are-
Mandatory RT-PCR Test, maximum of 96 hours prior to departure from the first port of embarkation en route to the Maldives.
Check the latest protocols here.
2. How To #VisitMaldives
There are 2 airports in the Maldives-
a) Velana International Airport
Located on Hulhule Island in the North Male Atoll, nearby the capital island Male, Velana is the main international airport in the Maldives and it serves as the main gateway in the Maldives for tourists.
b) GAN International Airport
Located on Gan Island in Addu Atoll in the Maldives, it is one of the international airports of the Maldives.
3. VISA Regulations
Maldives issue a free of charge 30 days visa on arrival to visitors.
But you must ensure that your customers’ passport has at least 6 months of validity and a return ticket.
Check the basic entry requirements here.
4. How To Choose The Resort?
One of the factors that determine the satisfaction of your customers’ Maldives trip is – what kind of resort they stay in!
There are multiple options for resorts available, each one offering a different and unique experience of its own. Hence, distinguishing and choosing the best resort for your customer can become a hectic task.
For your ease, we have listed below an easy way as to how you can choose the best resort for your customer!
a) For a Budget Traveller (Around 15-30k per person)
If your customer has a budget of Rs. 15000 – 30000 per person, you can suggest stay options in Hulhumale city. The resorts are located at a distance of 20-25 minutes distance from the airport.
Usually, the hotels cost around 15k per person for a 3 nights stay on Breakfast basis.
Some of the Popular hotels which you can suggest to your customer are Kaani Grand Seaview, Hotel Ui Inn, New Town Inn or similar.
b) For a Reasonable Budget Traveller (30-50k per person)
If your customer has a budget of Rs. 30000 – 50000 per person, you can suggest properties which are located nearby the airport. These are usually 4* resorts with speedboat transfers and meal plan options.
Some of the Popular Resorts which you can suggest to your customer are: Adaaran Club Rannalhi / Fun Island Resort / Paradise Island Resort and Spa / Sun island resort etc
c) For Luxury Budget Travellers (up to 1 lakh per person)
If your customer has a budget of up to Rs. 1 Lakh per person, you can suggest high-end properties (in terms of amenities), transfers, and restaurants inside.
Some of the Popular Resorts which you can suggest to your customer are Hard rock hotel / Sai lagoon by Hilton / Holiday inn Kandooma / Centara Grand / Taj Coral reef / Olhuveli resort and spa.
d) For Super Luxury traveler (Above 1.5 lakh per person)
If your customer has a budget of more than Rs. 1.5 Lakh per person, you can suggest super-luxury properties having under-water villa rooms, transfers on speedboat, seaplane OR Domestic flight + Speedboat.
Some of the Popular Resorts which you can suggest to your customer are Radisson blu / W Maldives / Heritance Aarah / Pullman Maldives / Baros Maldives / Sun Siyam Iru Fushi etc.
5. How To Reach Resort?
Once your traveler lands at the airport, the next step is to reach the resort that has been booked.
Depending on the distance from the airport and budget of your customer, every resort has either of the below-mentioned transfer types available-
a) Speedboat Transfers
These are on a shared basis. Usually the islands nearby the main airport island are the ones offering this service. It takes around 20-50 mins to reach the resort via speedboat.
b) Seaplane Transfers
Though seaplane transfers are expensive, the experience is thrilling!
The price usually ranges between $200-500 per person. However, not all resorts offer seaplane transfers. It is mostly available for resorts that are located at a far distance from the airport.
c) Domestic Flight + Speedboat
An alternative to Seaplane transfers is taking a domestic flight to a bigger island nearby the resort, followed by a speedboat to reach the destination.
Pro Agent Tip: Always tell your customers to check for transfer rates inclusion when they check the resort rates on online portals.
6. Things To Do In Maldives?
There’s really no limit as to how many types of activities are available for your customers’ enjoyment.
In general, there are some complimentary activities provided by the resort for example some non-motorized water sport activities like canoeing, kayaking, lawn tennis, volleyball, snooker, etc.
However, there are some activities as well that attract charges, which the guest has to pay directly at the resort, viz. Shark feeding, sunset cruise, movie arrangement set up, etc.
7. Meal Plans
There are various meal plans which your customer can choose from-
a) Half Board Basis
Half board basis meal plan includes Breakfast and one major meal (Lunch or Dinner).
b) Full Board Basis
Full board basis meal plan includes Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
c) All-Inclusive
All-inclusive meal plan includes Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner + In-house alcohol.
Pro Agent Tip: Always suggest your customer to opt from either of the meal plans and not just breakfast.
Now that you are aware of all the Pro-Agent tips of How To Sell Maldives Better, what are you waiting for?
In case you still have doubts, watch our expert webinar to know more – Learn to Sell Maldives.
Go ahead. Get the fastest B2B Maldives quote from TravClan and plan your customers’ Maldives Trip and make their experience surreal!
