Southern Sun Qamardeen Hotel, in association with MAIA Luxury Resort and Spa, a Southern Sun-operated property in Mahé, Seychelles, hosted six orphans from “The President’s Village Orphanage”, for a fun-filled stay in Dubai from April 18-20, helping to turn their dream of travelling and experiencing another country into reality.
The six children – three boys and three girls, aged 8-14 – enjoyed a packed itinerary of exciting activities, put together by Southern Sun Qamardeen Hotel to indulge them in the best that Dubai has to offer. Emaar Retail, Arabian Adventures and ‘At the top’ Burj Khalifa also collaborated with Qamardeen Hotel to ensure that the children’s trip to Dubai was an memorable one, by organizing visits to Dubai’s entertainment attractions, a thrilling desert safari and a trip to the observatory of the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa.
“Southern Sun Qamardeen Hotel and MAIA Luxury Resort and Spa are both hotel properties that share the same people-centred philosophy and deeply personalised approach. This was the perfect collaborative project to celebrate this philosophy and make a meaningful difference in the lives of these children from The President’s Village Orphanage, who truly deserve the chance to have their dreams come true,” says Richard Weilers, Managing Director, Southern Sun.
“The activities and attractions were thoughtfully chosen to represent every child’s fantasy and offer experiences that would broaden the minds of our young guests. Having the opportunity to provide a comfortable and relaxing home at Southern Sun Qamardeen Hotel for the duration of their stay, and put together an itinerary for the holiday of a lifetime, has been an incredibly fulfilling experience for all involved in this project,” he added.
The President’s Village Orphanage is a charity organization located on the island of Seychelles that cares for orphans as well as disadvantaged children whose parents are unable to care for them. The orphanage is run by Natalie Michel, First Lady of Seychelles and wife of the President of Seychelles, James Alix Michel. The Dubai trip was the concluding activity of MAIA Luxury Resort and Spa’s annual CSR campaign for 2009, under the theme “Year of the Child”, resulting in the Orphanage’s top six academic achievers being given the chance to fulfill their dream of visiting and experiencing a foreign country.
Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Retail added: “Emaar Retail is delighted to host the children from the President’s Village Orphanage in Seychelles at its leisure and entertainment attractions in Dubai. Children around the world revel in the diverse entertainment portfolio we offer at The Dubai Mall as it is all about fun and an educational experience. The visit further highlights our commitment to partner with community organizations that bring a meaningful difference to the lives of people.”
During their time in the city, the children visited The Dubai Mall’s many kid-friendly leisure and educational attractions such as SEGA Republic, KidZania, Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, and every child’s dream store, Candylicious. Trips to Dubai Museum, Ski Dubai and Wild Wadi were also among the exciting highlights ending with an exciting pizza-making class with Chef Paolo at Qamardeen Hotel’s Esca restaurant, on the last night of their action-packed Dubai adventure.
