“That will make twin-centre stays much easier and encourage an overall longer stay in the Maldives of course,” Drummond added.
Each company will have its own lounge areas for guests prior to departure, but Drummond was keen to stress that the resort would now be able to offer much more flexible departures and arrivals using its own planes, hopefully lessening time spent at the airport anyway.
The country’s two original seaplane operators - Trans Maldivian Airways and Maldivian Air Taxi - were both sold to US-based private equity fund Blackstone in 2013 and merged to create the single TMA brand, effectively eliminating competition.
During his recent visit to the UK, Drummond said British travellers still represented the most significant market for Maalifushi and added that since opening the resort, he had also created more family-friendly options, by adding small standalone bedrooms on to three of the villas.
“We will look at how successful these continue to be and look to add more where possible. We also now have a four-bedroom villa which we believe is one of the biggest in the Maldives and of real interest for the growing amount of multi-generational family travel we’re seeing coming here now,” Drummond said.
Growing sector
According to a new HVS report, on the back of the double-digit growth in tourist arrivals in 2014 the luxury resort sector recorded an 8% increase in RevPAR in 2014.
Occupancy has averaged at 50% during the first year at Maalifushi, Drummond said, but added he hoped this would grow to 65% by the end of 2015.
“We already had the benefit of having Cocoa Island in the market of course and the asset of the Como brand, but with any hotel, year one goal is always to get everything operational, year two consolidate - and year three, really start performing,” Drummond said.
Drummond is also now planning to develop the island of Lavadhoo adjacent to Maalifushi as a picnic island for day trips and events.
The resort has also launched a new apprentice scheme, with 10 school leavers embedded in the operation for five days plus one day of classroom training.
The creation by Como of a college on the local island is also being considered.
He added that additional capacity at Male airport would be welcomed. With tourists topping 1.2 million in 2014, a second runway would prove vital to the country’s ability to cope with growing numbers.
Maldives Airports Company intends to increase the capacity of the airport to five million passengers by 2018 and 9.6 million by 2030 and has been working with Singapore’s Changi Airports as consultants on expansion.
The contract for a second runway has been awarded to Chinese Beijing Urban Construction Group, while development of the airport terminal has been awarded to the Japanese Taisei Corporation, with the estimated cost of the projects said to be $845 million.
Chinese investment is also earmarked for developing a new bridge connecting the airport island to capital Male, with work set to start later this year.
