Ahmed Shareef

Tourists get lot of facilities and services from the resorts, only sky is the limit or the tourist’s budget, and tourism is multi-dimensional. Every high-end resort walks the extra mile and earns smiles. All resorts have; spa, water sports centre, diving centre, food and drinks. Only Huvafen Fushi has an underwater spa, and only Conrad Maldives has underwater restaurant, two distinctive features of luxury tourism. But, every resort with a luxury feature may not be a luxury resort, if they are too weak on other aspects. The tourist who wants to visit Maldives and enjoy an underwater-dinner has only one place to pick. When another resort owner comes to hosts an underwater restaurant, certainly he won’t get the success Conrad got from it. Conrad has been doing it for years and they are also popular for that, even without considering the brand image. Hence, a new resort operator who goes for luxury business and wants to achieve immense popularity needs to come up with an ingenious innovation, just like Huvafen Fushi when they were newly getting into the business. So, now the industry needs a new chapter of exclusive tourism.

Few months back I heard on TV that the government was leasing some islands for agricultural development. By the way, now some people might have got the island. There were some bids submitted with the intention of proving a tourism support service and when the government denied allowing it on those islands, the people lost their interest. That was when I became interested in agricultural islands. They can cultivate vegetables and fruits, and sell to the local market or to the resorts near by. May be that is why some people were interested. But that is not my plan and it’s no where close to my plan. My plan ends up on creating the so-called ‘image’.

“The newly opened luxury resort in the Maldives has its own island producing vegetables and tropical fruits, and is freshly transported to the resort every day. Guests see just-plucked fruits with its fresh leaves laid out on display where chef slices it right in front” Imagine the impression! Isn’t it exclusive?

The taste might not be so different than the ones we import quite freshly. But it’s the impression which creates the image, making it so exclusive. A special island is there for the purpose and many workers do the job, just to deliver it fresh. When this goes together with high-class service, guests will notice the resorts commitment on ‘attention to detail’. And no other resort in Maldives does it.

When guests get treatments in underwater spa they get nothing more than just a good impression. They keep watching the fish as they walk towards the treatment bed which most probably have seen while snorkeling or diving. Most people keep the  eyes closed or even lay face down during the treatment and feel the real comfort. But they feel so special to get a treatment in the world’s first underwater spa. It is the impression which creates difference. The image makes a tremendous impact.