Sources inform ''Globes'' that El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE: ELAL) charter subsidiary Sun D'Or International Airlines Ltd. will begin flying to the Indian Ocean island country of the Maldives. A delegation of Sun D'Or executives and Israel Civil Aviation Authority officials left for the Maldives yesterday ahead of the planned launch.
Aviation industry sources expressed surprise at the decision to open a route to the Maldives, and doubted its economic feasibility, noting that the country focuses on high-end tourism. One source said, "Israeli tourist traffic to the Maldives amounts to a few hundred people a year. It's a very unique destination, suitable for divers and people seeking the ultimate getaway, but since it's an expensive vacation, it's only suitable for an exclusive clientele. Sun D'Or is trying to put another pin on the map, but its economic rationale is not clear."
Israelis wishing to visit the Maldives currently take Royal Jordanian Airlines from Amman to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and then local flights to the Maldives. Fares range from $925 to $1,200, and the trip can take nine hours.
A direct flight from Ben Gurion Airport to the Maldives will take six hours. Sun D'Or has not yet decided on the fare.
The Maldives are an archipelago of about 1,200 islands, of which 200 are inhabited, about 700 kilometers southwest of Sri Lanka. Its population is Muslim. The islands are famous for their exotic locale and spectacular coral diving. Isolated islands host hotels, mostly luxury hotels, which can cost $300-400 per person, including breakfast.
The Maldives would not be Sun D'Or's only exotic destination. The airline offers flights during the Passover and Sukkot holidays to the Indian Ocean island republic of the Seychelles. The flights are organized in advance by companies' workers committees at subsidized prices, and the airline offers the remaining seats to the public through travel agencies.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 4, 2010
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