MALDIVIAN Airlines’ plan
to launch weekly flights to
Johannesburg is expected to
considerably boost travel to
the Maldives.
The national carrier
of the Maldives plans
to launch direct flights
between the Maldives and
OR Tambo International
Airport, pending government
approval.
David van den HeeverLiebenberg,
travel director of
Marmalade Toast Bespoke
Travel and Destination
Management, says, until
now the Maldives has been
a hard sell in South Africa
as travellers were put off by
connecting via the Middle
East.
“A direct flight will make
the flying time a lot less
and the fares will probably
and hopefully be better as
well. Maldives, as it stands,
is quite a high-end product
to sell on its own, so when
the direct flights come
into play, it will be a much
easier sell,” says David.
Price will be an important
factor for the success of
the flight, says Monica
Horn, product manager
of Harvey World Travel
Franchise Support Team.
“This is solely a leisure
market and they need to
price their fares wisely so
they don’t price themselves
out of the market.”
Zephnie Viljoen, Director
of Perfect Destinations,
GSA for Maldivian Airlines
in South Africa, says
that while historically the
Maldives was seen as
an expensive destination
by South Africans, direct
flights will make it more
accessible to a wider
market.
“Hotels and product
owners in the Maldives
are also keen to work with
the South African trade
by offering affordable
packages and deals that
will appeal to families as
well as honeymooners and
solo travellers,” says Shona
Pittaway, md of Perfect
Destinations.
David adds that a direct
flight to the Maldives will
also allow tour operators
to package multi-country
packages such as
Maldives/Sri Lanka and
Maldives/Thailand.
Dates for the launch
and details of the weekly
service will be announced
soon. Zephnie says the
GSA will work with all tour
operators in the South
African market to support
and grow the destination.
