The Maldives: Redefining business tourism

The Maldives has long been a go-to leisure destination thanks to its idyllic palm-fringed beaches, turquoise seas and endless sunny days. As it happens, these features are also what make the islands so attractive as a destination for business tourism. Firstly, its location midway between the East and the West, alongside an airline network that includes three airports and a fleet of seaplanes, is perfect. And then there’s its collection of resorts, guesthouses and liveaboard yachts that add a wow factor to all types of gatherings from meetings and conferences to incentive trips and award ceremonies that conventional boardrooms and conference halls just can’t match. ‘The Maldives, particularly Villa Nautica, is a fantastic location for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) events,’ says Khadeeja Sana, director, PR and marketing, at Villa Resorts. ‘We are well connected to major international hubs like Dubai, Doha, Colombo, Istanbul, and Singapore and serve as an easily accessible destination for visitors worldwide.’ Althaf Mohamed Ali, chief operating officer at Pulse Hotels & Resorts continues: ‘With its natural beauty, the Maldives provides the perfect backdrop for any event. Whatever the gathering, at Kandima Maldives there is an exciting mix of active lifestyle group experiences, entertainment and leisure activities alongside excellent meeting facilities.’ Effortless event organisation For companies, there are many upsides to hosting a MICE event in the Maldives, not least the invaluable boost to employee morale and brand image. It certainly helps that many resorts, liveaboards and guesthouses provide access to dedicated teams to deliver a seamless experience right from personal meet-and-greet services and special immigration and customs clearance to private transfers by sea or air. Once on the island, private butlers and concierges – including IT specialists – work hard to keep road warriors connected, even as they head out, barefoot with a drink in hand, to a meeting on the beach. Sun Siyam Resorts has five private island resorts in the Maldives that can be fully branded and utilised for special events or privatised for individual companies. ‘This kind of unique touch means guests can feel like they have arrived on their own exclusive company island,’ remarks Mohammed Shihab, the resort’s group director of sales and marketing. ‘We are flexible and creative, so whatever is desired, our team will work closely with the company organisers to bring their vision to life.’ Kandima calls its dedicated team the K’Krew, who work together with each company to fully customise their events. ‘At Kandima, you have access to everything you need from state-of-the-art digital and A/V equipment to a catering team. All this against stunning views, because all of our meeting spaces on the island feature natural light,’ says Ali. Reconnect in person These days, with so much time spent behind our screens, reconnecting with colleagues in person is more important than ever and there’s no better destination for some quality facetime than against the tranquil backdrop of the Maldives’ azure seas. Imagine team-building exercises on a sandbank, breakout sessions to hammer out next year’s budget under palm trees, or even blow-out dance-til-dawn gala dinners under a starlit sky. And while all this is going on, spouses, partners and children are suitably entertained in spas, kids’ clubs with activities like swimming with turtles, and savouring the good life in award-winning restaurants. Shihab notes that Sun Siyam Iru Fushi recently hosted an incentive for 60 high achieving people in the medical industry. ‘They were whisked from all over the world to the Maldives for four nights with their partners and we created a programme that included activities such as a sunset cruise with champagne and canapes, sushi making classes, deep sea fishing, a gala dinner and more.’ Kandima recently hosted a buyout for 700 people where guests enjoyed a programme of activities including sunset cocktails, team games like football and volleyball and beach dinners with private DJs. ‘This may sound like play, but we also erected a purpose-built marquee for conferences and meetings,’ says Ali. Mixing business and pleasure Clearly, the adage not to mix business with pleasure doesn’t apply in the Maldives, which can make building team morale and forging stronger interpersonal links that much easier. Wellbeing is built into the DNA of the resorts and, in a corporate context, this translates into a laid-back setting that can stimulate conversations, boost productivity and creativity and help facilitate more effective conflict resolution. The line between work and private lives merge – in a good way. After a day spent working, colleagues can bond over spa treatments, sound healing sessions under the moon, morning yoga on the beach, or even a sunset spent dolphin watching cocktails on a chartered yacht. And while alcohol cannot be bought or consumed on any of the local inhabited islands, it is available on resort islands and liveaboards. ‘Whether it’s snorkelling with turtles and manta rays or painting lessons with a resident artist, our programme of activities caters for everyone to ensure business trippers have something to relax, unwind and take their minds off busy schedules,’ says Ali. Khadeeja Sana agrees: ‘At Villa Nautica, we recognise the importance of wellbeing and offer a range of activities – from yoga and meditation to water and land-based activities – that promote this. We also regularly conduct wellness-focused team-building activities.’ It’s an amazing way to form new bonds with colleagues and inspire your team – going on a business trip has never been more exciting. As Thoyyib Mohamed, CEO and managing director of Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation pointed out at the launch of ‘Redefining MICE’, the Maldives’ global campaign to position itself as the MICE destination of choice, ‘Nothing brings a team closer than a shared experience in paradise.’ Which prompts the question: when was the last time you left work feeling rested, rejuvenated and inspired?