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| Tuesday, 27 April 2004 |
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Resort-oriented marketing for Maldives by Nihal Mawella (Chartered Marketer UK), National Agribusiness Council Resort Industry Maldivians used to say, it's boring, nothing to do but sit on the beach all day. It may have been true when the first tourist camped on uninhabited island "Kurumba" in 1972. All that has changed now. "Kurumba" and other eighty-four holiday resorts, now modernised to international standards high quality resorts with fine dining restaurants and bars including late night piano, bars, swimming pools, a gymnasium, a business centre and comfortable rooms with freshwater and international direct dialling facility. "Kurumba" resort is not unique. All other resorts offer sun and sandy beaches, underwater coral gardens, snorkelling, scuba diving and serenity. A holiday in the Maldive Islands can cost more than a holiday in Sri Lanka due to high standards and guest comforts. Since every resort is on its own and everything has to be imported including liquor, food and beverage, fruits and vegetables, confectionery, bedding, furniture accommodation costs are costly. There is no government tax as in Sri Lanka only a bed tax of US$ 6.00 per guest per night is charged which is built into the quoted room rate.Maldivians are reserved and conservative people. They do not like to exchange instant smiles that dissolve the moment your back is turned. This may be due to their isolation for centuries, however there is genuine warmth in them that draws satisfied guests back year after year. Marketing strategy The Maldivians have cleverly turned the disadvantage of being isolated islands in the middle of Indian ocean into a successful marketing strategy. Only tourist and employees are allowed in each resort. This guarantees a holiday without harassment. It also ensures employees do not take "French leave". The rich Maldivian resort owners interviewed said that resorts were developed by tourists themselves. The resort owners said they listened to the guests and provided them with what they wanted. At the beginning they wanted "Cadjan Huts" and "meat grills" on the beach. Now they want "Water bungalows" made out of wood on the shallow sparkling blue water filled with tropical coloured fish and modern conveniences, such as disco's water sports, music bands and finest cuisine in gourmet restaurants. Tourist arrivals The total population in equatorial Maldives is about 200,000 and annual tourist arrivals amounts to nearly 450,000 mainly from Germany, Britain, Italy, Netherlands and Japan. Now South Africans, Scandinavians and Taiwanese are discovering the islands. Early stages AirLanka carried thousands of tourists by Douglas DC planes. Now "SriLankan" airline operates regular flights to Maldives. Europeans and Japanese are brought to Maldives by Sri Lankan and European airlines. Islands which were deserts and used for drying fish for centuries are now greener than parks and gardens in Sri Lanka. In Male, one square mile capital of Maldives shops open till 10.00 at night with a range of goodies hard to find in Colombo. You could relax in a coffee shop and observe the actions and colour of the water front where inter-resort island boats and fishing dhonies tie up. The Airport island is separated from Male and a trip from Male island to the airport cost 10.00 rupees. The Maldives seems to offer an exotic leisurely charm missing in Sri Lanka's coastal resorts. The importance of agriculture in the Republic of Maldives has been reduced due to non-availability of fertile lands and the introduction of consumer products such as, rice, wheat, fresh fruits and vegetables and a range of processed foods. Further people are not interested in traditional horticulture due to change of food habits of the younger generation and because of avenues in other sectors to earn high income such as tourism and fisheries. Before the introduction of tourism to Maldives in the nineteen sixties grains such as Finger millet, Maize, Tubers such as Colocasia, Alocasia, Cassava, Sweet Potatoes and vegetables were cultivated and consumed such as Drumsticks, Chillie, Billing. Betel, Banana, Papaya, Breadfruits, Water Melon, Mangoes, Lime, Guava, Green Chillies, Pumpkin, Melons, Drumsticks, Leaf Cabbage, Brinjal, Bitter and Ridge Guard are grown in islands for domestic consumption. The excess is supplied to the local market. Coconuts are grown in islands and coconut products form an integral part of the Maldivian seafood diet. Coconut timber is used for boat building and construction of houses. However desiccated coconut and creamed coconut is imported to cater to the needs of the thriving tourism industry. Apart from tourism fishing is the major industry. Tourism and fishing give the major foreign exchange earlier. Infertile soil As the soil is infertile, calcarious and salty it is difficult to implement horticultural projects in Maldives. Each year the Maldives imports a wide range of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables and processed foods for local consumption and tourism industry from India, Sri Lanka, West Indies, European Countries, Thailand, Singapore, UAE, South Africa and Australia. The prices of these products fluctuate according to the demand and supply and fluctuations in the value of international currencies. The annual imports of fruits and vegetables into the Maldives consists of fresh, preserved, dried, canned, glaced fruits, fruit juices and pickled vegetables. In addition to the demand of 200,000 local consumers living in 180 islands approximately 450,000 tourists spend their holidays in eighty star class holiday resort islands annually enjoying the taste of imported Exotic tropical fruits, vegetables and beverages. Vegetable varieties The major vegetable varieties imported are Leeks, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprout, Raddish, Lettuce, Carrots, Turnips, Tomatoes, Beetroot, Cucumber, Gherkin, Green Peas, Butter Beans, Kidney Beans, Chick Peas, Soya Beans, Globe Artichokes, Asparagus, Aubergines, Mushrooms, Chillies, Capsicums, Spnach, Bitter Gourd, Pumpkins, Potatoes, Sweet Corns, Desiccated Coconut, Cashew, Peanut and Coconuts. The main spices imported are Pepper, Red Chillie, Cloves, Cardamoms, Coriander, Cummin Seeds, Saffron, Tumeric, and Bay Leaves, Marinades, Spice powder and Pickles are imported. Beverages such as Tea, Coffee, Mineral waters and fruit juices are also imported in considerable quantities.Sri Lanka produces a variety of tropical and temperate fruits and vegetables in wet and dry zones amounting to approximately 1.4 million metric tones yearly. According to surveys conducted by the authorities in Sri Lanka 60% is consumed by local consumers, Canning and the tourist industry. Due to careless Post Harvest handling of fruits and vegetable large quantities of fruits and vegetable go waste. The Sri Lankan investors and exporters could concentrate on investing on export oriented fruit farms, fruit drying and glaceing and vegetable drying technology. The existing 16 fruit farms in Sri Lanka are not geared for preservation, drying or canning of fruits. However, now we see that steps are taken by the fruits and vegetable producers and exporters Association to invest on export oriented commercial farms in provinces. They must be assisted by granting financial assistance by authorities. Marketing fruits now demands special skills. The fruits should be near ripen hand plucked and freighted under chilled conditions. Mangoes, pineapples, melons and bunches of bananas and papayas and fruits freighted from temperate countries are packed individually in boxes and air freighted by exporting countries to Maldives. There is more scope for the promotion of new exotic fruit varieties. The fruits which can be promoted from Sri Lanka to Maldives in the form of fresh or processed are Jak Fruits, Rambuttan, Anoda, Belifruti, Woodapple, Sapodilla, Durian, Pineapples, Avocado, Guava, Mango, Melons, Mangosteen, Lemon and Lime, Passion Fruits, Ambarella, Tamarind, Papaw and Anoda Cream. For example "Kiwi Fruit" of Australia did not have an overseas market. Australian fruit exporters spent five million dollars on advertising campaigns to popularise the "Kiwi Fruit" in the overseas markets where tourist traffic is high. Now "Kiwi Fruit" is well accepted in overseas markets including Resort markets in the Maldives. Fruit season An effort to expand the supply of fresh quality fruits and dried fruits is worth as the fruit season extends from March to August for most of the fruits in Sri Lanka and further, fruits will not go waste if new fruit utilising industries are established to export dried, glaced and preserved fruits and nuts. However it is necessary to keep the barest of modern concepts of preservation, packaging, freighting and delivering to holiday resorts, as tourists demand fresh, unspoilt fruits and vegetables and preserved foods, packed according to international standards. In addition to the food and beverages Sri Lankan exporters supply sea foods, meat products, dairy products, cut flowers, furniture, furnishing and curtaining, bedding, technical items and capital goods necessary for the hotel industry. The sale of these items to the Maldives need focusing at the needs of resorts and tourist oriented marketing policy is necessary for successful competition with other Asian export countries. Most of the workers in the hospitality industry in the Maldive Islands are Sri Lankans, Front House Managers, barmen, electricians and accountants are Sri Lankans. The salaries are paid in US dollars and more and more qualified Sri Lankan workers get employment in the tourist industry. It is proposed to promote more workers in these fields in the Maldives through systematical hospitality industry oriented marketing. In this connection employment agencies in Sri Lanka have a bigger role to play in promoting Sri Lankan skills in the Maldives and a social responsible to look after their welfare. |
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