Amilla Maldives Highlights Its IncluCare Experiences To MOE
Thursday 18th of May 2023
The iconic eco-resort in Baa, Amilla Maldives Resort & Residences recently received a delegation from the Ministry of Education (MOE) of the Maldives, Department of Inclusive Education, to share with them information about its revolutionary IncluCare project. IncluCare is now gaining worldwide recognition with properties being certified by Inclutel for accommodating guests with different restrictions.
As the first-ever IncluCare-certified property in the world, Amilla Maldives is working closely with UK-based accessible travel experts to make the resort better accessible to travellers. In accordance with this commitment, Amilla is dedicated to upholding a certain standard of excellence across operations while improving its accessibility each year through support, training and auditing. By doing so, the resort is leading transformative change and setting the benchmark to reduce barriers faced by disabled travellers when holidaying in the Maldives.
During the visit, the representatives from the ministry were greeted warmly by the Amilla management and were updated on the project through an informative session held at one of Amilla’s dazzling residences. Afterwards, lunch was served for the visiting guests at the Emperor’s Beach Club (EBC). Over 3,000 young Maldivian adults with different abilities finding difficulty in finding work in resorts in the Maldives, and Amilla and the MOE discussed ways to overcome this challenge.
This included pursuing education and finding solutions to change the existing perception in the Maldives hospitality industry. The representatives noted that 8% of their students were registered with some form of disability and vocational training has been a successful notion to introduce these students to the workforce. Through this pathway, they are able to make significant contributions to the industry while still feeling like an important member of the team.
Over at Amilla, the resort is constantly growing and adapting to cater to guests with different needs who are requesting to visit the Maldives. Quite recently, Amilla’s perseverance and passion for inclusion were tested when a guest with cerebral palsy reserved a villa at the resort. The guest was very informative and comfortable sharing details about her capabilities with the team which allowed them to make the necessary adjustments and overcome potential barriers. Prior to this, six other resorts have stated that they would be unable to accommodate her holiday visit to the Maldives.
Utilizing the evacuation chair and sling for the seaplane journey and beach and swimming wheelchair for guests with mobility issues, the team at Amilla were able to exceed her expectations by not only being able to swim in the ocean but going on her first snorkelling trip and sunset dolphin cruise, something she had dreamt of. By accommodating guests of all types, Amilla strives to reduce barriers at the front of the house as well as at the core in the medium term.
The Amilla Maldives and MOE have a mutual understanding to see what the resort has in store for IncluCare for the Ministry to learn from, and to help find job opportunities for various abled candidates. It is also Amilla’s vision to encourage other resorts to venture into the market for inclusive travel and make holidays in this world-class destination more accessible for all. The visit was concluded by The Ministry of Education representatives presenting a small token of appreciation to Amilla Maldives, in the form of a beautiful wooden carving of a traditional Maldivian Dhoni.