James Whitaker from Travel Designers explains how to sell the best Maldives holiday to clients based on their preferences.
I was a little spoilt when starting out in the travel industry almost 10 years ago. Three months into my exciting new job, I was sent on my first ever fam, which happened to be the Maldives. Needless to say, I never fully recovered and all other beach destinations have had a very tough act to follow ever since. If you haven?t been to the Maldives, believe me when I say it really is as breathtakingly beautiful as it looks.
With approximately 1,200 coral islands and sandbanks (around 200 are inhabited), it may appear a little daunting to sell the Maldives if you haven?t been or don?t offer it too often.
The important information, beyond your client?s budget, is to find out what kind of island would they prefer. Are they looking for a tiny island that takes only 10 minutes to walk around with just one restaurant, or do they need a lot of dining choice and a larger island with more facilities if they are afraid of getting bored?
While some customers insist that they do not need or like all-inclusive, it really does not make good sense sending your customers to the Maldives with any other board basis. Ultimately, throughout their time in the Maldives they will be on one island. If they plan on eating and drinking during their holiday, it will usually represent much better value to go all-inclusive, rather than paying hefty sums when they are there and a huge bill when checking out.
The Maldives can be an option for those on a mixture of budgets from the lower end of ?1,500 per person, through to those who can spend as much as ?40,000 per person. The key is to find the right island for your customer and as always, manage their expectations. Some of my favourite islands include The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, Kuramathi, Komandoo and LUX South Ari Atol.
There are some very basic three-star islands that I wouldn?t recommend to those looking for highend luxury, but to affordably enjoy the Maldives, swim in that gloriously warm, clear water among the reefs and stroll across the powdery soft white sands, it can be worth compromising on the accommodation to have that experience.
