Within days of lifting of lockdown, social media handles of celebrities began to bleed blue reflecting the blue waters of Maldivian lagoons
After being locked up in their homes for months due to the coronavirus pandemic, as soon as Indian celebrities got the chance to break free, almost all headed straight to the idyllic isles of Maldives. And within days of the lifting of lockdown, social media handles of the entire who’s who community of celebrities began to bleed blue reflecting the blue waters of Maldivian lagoons.
One of the biggest draws of Maldives for Indians, celebrities or not, is its proximity to the destination, besides the visa-free travel for Indian passport holders. On top of that when the Maldives government removed quarantine restrictions once the pandemic subsided in the country, it made Maldives the destination to head to. The fact that due to the pandemic, there are still relatively few other tourists out there meant each of the celebrities could have an island or at least a resort to herself. All one needs to get to Maldives from India is a valid Indian passport and a Covid-19 negative test report. The travel was facilitated when India and Maldives set up South Asia’s first air bubble in August.
Maldives was an obvious choice for celebrities, who don’t have the common person’s concerns over budget. After all, the country is known around the world for its numerous ultra-luxurious and exclusive resorts, sprinkled all over the archipelago that counts over 1200 islands in various coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, with the northern atoll being barely 600 km from Indian coast.
Many of the resorts are established on a tiny island and have led to development of a unique concept of ‘one-island-one-resort’. While this makes Maldives a plush holiday destination at any given time, currently due to the pandemic, it is an ideal situation as the government rules restrict tourists to their resorts. Island hopping and city tours are not allowed and travellers are straight away taken to their resorts from the airport. For most of the tourists, it means they have almost an entire island to themselves during their stay.
The long chain of Indian celebrities heading to Maldives has made the country a hot topic on social media
Follow the stars
Not surprisingly, the long chain of celebrities heading to Maldives has not only made the country a hot topic on the social media but is also fast becoming the first choice for an international vacation during the pandemic. On top of the list of Indians following the stars to the idyllic islands are honeymooners. Indian travel agents say that the celebrities rushing to Maldives had a big role in enticing the newly-wed couples to opt for the destination for their honeymoon.
“Bollywood celebrities going to Maldives has given a boost to the tourism industry. In the international sector, its Dubai and Maldives that are open fully. That is why I think there are lots of people who are enquiring about Maldives. The honeymooners who were earlier scared are now pretty much relaxed seeing the overflow of Indian tourists in Maldives. Now they are more eager to spend their honeymoon in Maldives,” Riddhi Roy, senior manager of Dolphin Travels, a travel firm in Kolkata, tells India Outbound. “I have already sent around eight couples to Maldives,” adds Roy.
The wedding season recommenced in late October and since then thousands of honeymooners have been on the lookout for a hassle-free destination and Maldives fits the bill perfectly.
“The procedure is quite simple as you have to get a RTPCr test a maximum of 96 hours before you go to Maldives. And compared to other times Maldives is pretty cheap right now. Like a Taj or a Hard Rock Hotel seems to be quite affordable at this time. The visa procedure is same like before. Maldives never required any visas for Indians. No documents nothing. You just have to have a passport with the validity of six months. Now during the pandemic, they have just added an RTPCr test report,” she explains.
In the absence of many scheduled flights to Maldives from India, many tour operators have joined hands together to launch their own charters, including from Kolkata, to the destination, even though the cost is higher than a regular flight.
Honeymooners have been on the lookout for a hassle-free destination and Maldives fits the bill perfectly
Tourists not worried about local restrictions
Most of the visitors don’t mind the restrictions of being confined to an island as the government has banned island hopping for visitors. “As it is there is no option of coming out of the resort. You can be without a mask and enjoy the vacation without any fear as you and everyone around you has been tested for the virus and you are not coming in contact with many people. So, the tourists may also feel safer by being limited to an island,” says Roy of Dolphin Travels. As it is most honeymooners book for an average of 4 nights’ stay in the resort, so being limited to one resort is not a big issue for them, she adds.
Pragya Surana, 28, who has a clothing line and boutique in Kolkata got married to 27-year-old IT professional Palash Baid on December 8 in the capital of West Bengal. Almost a week later, they left for Maldives.
“I was looking forward to a honeymoon destination, but keeping Covid-19 measures in mind. Social distancing would justify itself a bit in Maldives as there is one resort on one island concept. To be honest, I was a little sceptical about the flight with face mask and face shield and all the other safety protocols. The fear was there but wanting to go on a honeymoon was there as well,” says the couple.
“Post the wedding rituals and ceremonies, we wanted a quiet and secluded place to be able to spend time with each other. Also amidst the pandemic, Maldives was one of the few international destinations that was open. Hence, we zeroed down on Maldives,” they add.
The couple says that though it was aware of celebrities making their way to Maldives, it did not count for much in their decision to opt for the destination. “Our decision to go to Maldives wasn’t influenced by Bollywood celebrities but yes it helped a lot reduce the fear and panic which the pandemic has created,” add Surana and Baid.
Besides honeymooners, other bookings are also coming in from Indian tourists wishing to visit Maldives, says Roy. “The number of bookings for Maldives happening is pretty high. With the number of charter flight, the travellers’ flow to Maldives is pretty normal now. It’s just that there is a section of people who are scared to leave India and who are waiting for the vaccine to be available before they resume travelling. But otherwise, it is going really well. Even before the pandemic, we never had a charter from Kolkata. There are three charters now from Kolkata. This is despite the fact that the charters cost almost twice the fare as a normal airline, yet people are opting for charters. That’s like a big thing,” she says.
