World's apart: cocktails flow as Maldives resorts stay free from “coup” claim turmoil

After days of political upheaval that has raged across the Maldives' inhabited islands following allegations that former President Mohamed Nasheed was deposed in a “coup d'etat” last week, life continues as normal – if somewhat surreally - at the country's island resorts, foreign press agencies report.

Despite a travel advisory being issued last week by some countries like the UK against travelling to the capital of Male', resort operators stress that guests have been safely travelling to the country's secluded tourist properties and major airports, which have not been affected by the threat of violence and political turmoil.

Several properties that have spoken to Dhonisaurus have stressed over the last week that their private paradise islands have not been impacted by the country's most significant political shake up since democratic presidential elections were held for the first time in 2008.

On the international stage, commentators and news reports have been covering many aspects of the alleged “coup”, though current President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan went on a media offensive this week asking nations like Australia to support the legitimacy of his fledgling government, which he has said will aim to be democratic and transparent despite ongoing questions about its beginnings.

"I hope in the next two or three days there will be more understanding of what's going on here. Because of this very biased message that has gone out, it could have an effect on how friendly countries like Australia view the situation,” he told The Australian newspaper. "I wanted to let you all know I am personally and professionally committed to democracy and upholding the constitution, rule of law and separation of powers."

Representatives from both India and the US have backed Dr Waheed in so far as supporting his stated commitments of trying to install a “national unity government” to help broker a peaceful resolution between the former government of the ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the country's present executive.

Nonetheless, a consortium of commonwealth representatives are still expected to arrive in Male' to conduct an enquiry into the events that saw fromer President Mohamed Nasheed resign from his role- a choice he later claimed was forced upon him. However, the certainty of finding a resolution to the heated political rhetoric that has followed his removal from office looks questionable.

Whatever their findings, the mainstream media has been quick to pick up on the dichotomy that has long been at the heart of a tourist paradise existing separately within an Islamic nation that outlaws many of the staples of Eurpean travel, namely alcohol, bikinis and even pork products outside of the resorts.

A particular focus this week has been in comparing the lavish reputation the Maldives has built as a destination offering desert island honeymoon splendour, whilst simultaneously being home to bitter battles between police and security forces against opposition supporters angry over what they perceive as a reversal of the nation's democratic transition in recent years.

“From the super-luxury thatched and stilted beach villas of the £1000 a night Villingili Resort, you look out from palm-fringed white sands, across the cobalt tropical lagoon to Gan, one of the Maldives paradise islands, barely a stone's throw away,” writes Dean Nelson for The Daily Telegraph newspaper.

“You can hear the gentle lapping of the water, the discreet whirr of speedboat engines, but not the sound of angry mobs torching police stations in response to the coup against the country's first ever democratically elected president last week - or of the brutal revenge beatings inflicted by the riot police who overthrew President Mohamed Nasheed.”

One island, one resort model

With just over a hundred resorts currently existing in the country operated by local enterprises such as the pioneering Universal Resorts, as well as boutique holiday specialists and multinational giants such as Hilton, Starwood Hotels and Taj, the Maldives tourism game is big business for all concerned.

“Last week Mr Nasheed said the relationship between the two, and his government's measures to force the owners to pay more in tax, had been a key factor in sparking the coup against him,” The Telegraph reported. “Some of the owners resented paying the taxes and financed the putsch, he said.”

Echoing these sentiments, the Reuters news agency has also reported that, so secluded were guests from the fierce political rhetoric and violence that has been seen across the country that many would have been supping cocktails all week unaware of the hidden chaos.

“Just a 10-minute boat ride from the capital island of Male, site of a police mutiny that led to ex-president Mohamed Nasheed's departure last week and ensuing clashes, lies the paradise most visitors associate with the Indian Ocean archipelago,” Reuters reported.

“Step off the 15-metre (50-foot) power boat, replete with an air-conditioned cabin and leather seats, that whisks you to the dock at Kurumba resort on Vihamanafushi, and you are immediately in a land of luxury, water sports and relaxation.”

Writing for the news agency, C. Bryson Hull reported that for American Literature Professor, Jerzy Sobieraj, who was staying at Kurumba with his wife, the couple were not affected by the turmoil that had engulfed the capital of Male' visible just on the horizon from the resort.

"We are having a great time. We heard about the coup, but it doesn't matter to us. It hasn't affected us at all," Sobieraj told Reuters.

“'Even if there is trouble, the airport is on another island, so no trouble,' he said, gesturing to the nearby international airport from where most tourists leave directly for their resorts without ever reaching Male.”

View from the top

For Jason Kruse, who has worked as Kurumba's General Manager for several years, the country's one island, one resort policy of setting up singular properties on isolated land masses has kept the travel industry free from being directly impacted by the troubles that have raged on the inhabited islands where locals live.

"The local islands and the tourist islands are a world apart," Kruse told Reuters. "There have been some cancellations, but that is a result of people not understanding the destination."

However, whether the Maldives is misunderstood or not, China - which is becoming an increasingly significant tourist market for the country amidst some declines in traditional European markets like the UK and Italy - has been surprised by a sudden escalation in demonstrations and violent confrontations in Male'.

Writing for Dhonisarus' sister publication Minivan News, Yolanda Fan, a Chinese journalist based in the Maldives' reported this week that the news of the President Waheed's government coming to the power and reactions to it were having an uncertain impact on travellers visiting from the Asian superpower.

“In the poll, 'Has the coup affected your holiday plans in the Maldives?', which was hosted on a Chinese website on February 12, a little more than one third of the 8,107 votes chose 'it has affected them more or less'. another third of Chinese voters indicated 'it has no influence on them'. Less than one third were unaware of the political situation,” fan wrote.

According to the report, China's Maldivian embassy had sent out notices to travel groups and media outlets that the capital of Male' was not safe for tourists, urging against travel there.

“We have been trying our best to ensure Chinese nationals’ personal safety. Tourists reach the international airport and then can directly go to the resort. They will be safe on the resorts,” said Sun Jianbo, Second Secretary of China’s Embassy in Male’.

“As far as I know, no harm to Chinese tourists has been caused by these political events yet,” he added.

While tourists arriving into the country from around the world do not appear to have been directly affected by the political upheaval, Fan reported that some local travel agencies working closely with the Chinese market believed there has been some impact in terms of booking numbers.

“Quite a lot of Chinese customers are very concerned of this situation. Some of them are hesitant to make reservations now,” Emy Zheng, a Chinese national working at Villuxa Holidays said.

“She noted that only a few bookings have been cancelled, while several others have tried to postpone their holiday,” Minivan News added.

“Zheng suggested that most Chinese nationals responded well to explanations of the situation, and assurances that the Maldives one-island, one-resort mantra guarantees holiday makers distance from local events.”

In 2011, China rose to become the No.1 source of tourism, surpassing the Maldives’  traditional European market with over 700,000 arrivals last year. The jump in business has re-shaped the industry- local travel agencies and resort staff are now keen to hire Mandarin speakers and are working to stay current on Chinese cultural habits.