Maldives…a paradise for celebrities?

Over the past few years, Hollywood and Indian celebrities, as well as many other world famous pop stars, have been spotted enjoying their vacations, in the Maldives.

Names mentioned include Leonardo DiCaprio, Cristiano Ronaldo, Tom Cruise, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Gwyneth Paltrow, David Beckham and, of course Madonna and Shakira.

Madonna, I’m told enjoyed her $32,000-a-week Maldives holiday, with her family – cycling, sunset picnics on private beaches, infinity pools, luxury spas, etc.

And her daughter, Lourdes, was also seen sipping a fresh coconut (kurumba).

Paris Hilton and her husband Carter Reum chose the Maldives to mark their first anniversary and this is what she had to say, on her Instagram:

“I’ve been all over the world and stayed at the most beautiful places, but I’ve never seen anything like @ithaafushiprivateisland at @WaldorfAs-toriaMaldives. This private island is truly paradise on Earth! So beautiful, romantic and relaxing here! Feels like a dream! I feel so lucky and blessed to be here with my love celebrating our anniversary.”

For Bollywood couple Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan, the Maldives was the getaway of choice. With their family, they spent quality time under the sun.

Katrina Kaif revealed the news about her vacation in the Maldives; she took to Twitter to share the news with her fans, worldwide.

Award-winning Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor picked the Maldives to treat her family and celebrate her brother-in-law’s birthday

Tiger Shroff and Disha Patani went to the Maldives for a mini Diwali vacation.

The King of Bollywood Shah Rukh had the entire country in an uproar when he arrived with family, in the Maldives, to celebrate his daughter’s graduation, and managed to carve out some time to meet with his Maldivian fans.

A bicycle ride for Madonna (right)…in the Maldives

Checking out their comments, got me wondering as to how come we are still not able to attract these big spenders to our scene!

We did have a few come our way, but we need high-end and A-list celebrities visit us.

Some say we need a vibrant night scene to attract the money-spending tourists. If this assumption is correct, how come the big money-spenders head for the Maldives!

These famous personalities hail from countries with vibrant nightlife scenes; or they could visit Thailand, or even Vietnam. Why Sri Lanka?

The money-spenders head for the Maldives because the country’s ‘One island, One resort’ setup means no overcrowding. Consequently, celebrities can move around freely and enjoy a private vacation.

Also, I’m told Maldivian resorts take the privacy of all their guests very seriously. That is why many retreats have a no-drone policy. Most places don’t even divulge the names of their celebrity guests, even after they have left…and most islands also have a nice mix of common and private areas. From adult-only pools to hidden spots along the beach, celebrities have the alternative to mingle as much or little as they want.

What’s more, the top resorts in the Maldives offer unimaginable indulgences where guests can relish culinary affairs, water sports, beaches, unique experiences, and gorgeous overwater villas.

I believe what we need is a purposeful and more dynamic advertising campaign in place – promoting Sri Lanka for its uniqueness. Perhaps, we could then entice celebrities, and big money-spenders, looking for glorious weather, beautiful beaches and some incredible resorts, to check out the ‘Land Like No Other.’

It’s still not too late, but we need to think big to get somewhere…or, we get nowhere.