INDIAN OCEAN MALDIVES DESTINATIONS FAMILY Maldives COUPLES


DIVING


Look beyond the honeymoon market and you’ll find plenty more to sell in the Maldives, writes Katie McGonagle


@katie_mcgonagle


I


t’s the place honeymoon dreams are made of –


overwater villas, romantic restaurants and service so good it’ll make the happy couple feel like they’re the only ones on the island. So why is the Maldives rising up the ranks with non- newlyweds? All the evidence from Indian


Ocean operators points to the family market and non- honeymooning couples as being areas of untapped potential. “Caribtours has seen an 80% increase in business this year,”


says managing director Paul Cleary, “proving that the Maldives is a rapidly growing market for us and a very popular destination for our customers. In particular, we have seen a huge growth in business for couples and family holidays to the Maldives.” And if you consider that


most couples will only take one honeymoon, but could book endless romantic escapes or family breaks, it makes sense to widen your pool of potential customers beyond just the honeymoon market.


w FAMILY The last thing parents want is to worry about their brood disturbing other guests, so find a resort where they’ll fit in with the family crowd – and with the biggest kids’ club in the country, Kandima Maldives certainly fits that bill.


Set on Dhaalu atoll, its


Kandiland kids’ club offers daily activities ranging from mini-yoga and mocktail making to crab hunting and cooking up candy floss, followed by fun at the outdoor wet play area, which


31 May 2018 travelweekly.co.uk 53


PICTURE: AHMED SHAUA; PAUL THUYSBAERT


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