- Kuoni adds two news Maldivian resorts to its luxury collection
- First dedicated yoga, spa and wellness island due to open later this year
Turquoise oceans, secluded islands and attractive offers for luxury retreats are being cited as some of the reasons why the Maldives is emerging as the holiday destination most in demand for 2021.
The lure of secluded, long-haul luxury in the Indian Ocean archipelago is evident with a clear booking increase over the past seven days, driven by attractive offers for all-inclusive Crusoe-style islands and isolated retreats, particularly for honeymoons and special occasion trips.
Now Kuoni, which is working closely with its destination and resort partners in the Maldives on plans to re-open tourism safely, is expanding its range of resorts for next year, with two new luxury islands added to its collection.
Kagi Maldives Spa Island: The destination’s first dedicated wellness haven, Kagi Maldives Spa Island opens in September this year, with a focus on restorative health, fitness and nourishing menus. If yoga with a turquoise view or holistic remedies sounds appealing, then this is an island designed to relax and revitalise. This boutique, five star retreat in North Male Atoll has 50 villas all with private pools, with 40 of these being water villas.
Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa: This cool five star resort is already open and in operation, but is a great option for families looking for a luxury secluded escape. With spacious pool villas and plenty of activities including bicycles to cycle around the island and plenty of activities for young holidaymakers, its geared towards luxury all-inclusive.
Kuoni is launching with an offer to stay at the Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa in a Water Villa for seven nights, from £3,649 per person on a premium all-inclusive basis, which is a 25 per cent saving for departures in May 2021. This offer includes a guaranteed room upgrade from a Beach Villa and needs to be book by 18 July 2020
Sheena Paton, senior product and purchasing manager at Kuoni, who visits the Maldives every season to inspect new resorts, said: “Bookings for the Maldives are outperforming every other destination we sell around the world, currently accounting for 56 per cent of bookings for 2021. The Maldives has always been our best seller but it’s soaring even further ahead right now.”
Before the covid-19 crisis, The Maldives was on track to have one of its best years for tourism this year, being listed at number one in the Kuoni Worldwide Travel Report. A crop of new resorts scheduled to open has seen the destination diversify its appeal for children, younger couples and groups of friends or extended family.
Based on last week alone the Maldives continues to lead the way in terms of demand for Kuoni with 56 per cent of the overall bookings for 2021.
Sheena Paton added: “Having visited 60 island resorts in the Maldives over the years, each island is different in terms of style, size, rooms and activities. Our focus now is all about providing customers with expertise and specialist advice to make sure we match them with the right island experience for them.”
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