By coincidence, 2016 is also the 50th anniversary of independence for the Maldives and the 50th overseas trip taken by Ms Holmes, who said she was very surprised and delighted by the prize.
KONOTTA ISLAND, MALDIVES – The first visitor to the Maldives in 2016 has won a fully-inclusive one-week holiday at the Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort. Ms Kate Holmes, a UK national, entered the Maldives at Male airport customs and immigration point at 6.50am on 1 January on an Oman Air flight from Muscat.
Ms Holmes was taking a trip to Hulhumale with a friend to visit various islands. When she returns in September she will stay at the Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort, which won “Luxury Contemporary Resort of the Year” in the Luxury Travel Guide Awards in November 2015.
Ms Holmes was greeted by officials of the Ministry of Tourism and a boduberu drum welcome accompanied by Maldivian dancers. Ms Silvia Collepardi, the Director of Sales & Marketing at the Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort, was also there to welcome Ms Holmes.
The prize was created in a joint effort by Maldivian tourism authorities and Outrigger to honour Visit Maldives Year 2016, which is now underway.
By coincidence, 2016 is also the 50th anniversary of independence for the Maldives and the 50th overseas trip taken by Ms Holmes, who said she was very surprised and delighted by the prize.
The award-winning 53-villa Outrigger opened in August 2015 and has the largest average villa sizes in the Maldives.
Photo caption: First in 2016: Ms Kate Holmes (right) is welcomed by Ms Silvia Collepardi of Outrigger.
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