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Half a million tourists visit Maldives in five months

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arrival graphMaldives.net.mv – With an impressive 14.9% increase in arrivals during the month of May 2014, tourist arrivals to the Maldives continue to flourish, reaching half a million from January to May 2014. The Maldives welcomed a total of 518,166 tourists for the period, registering a strong growth of 11.9% over the same the period of 2013.

Although Asia and the Pacific Region took lead as the market generator during the month of May 2014, Europe remained as the market leader with 48.3% shares at the end of the period from January to May 2014. The region brought in an additional 34,544 tourists during the month of May, which was a decline of -1.8% compared to that of May 2013. Tourist arrivals from European region reached a total of 253,602 at the end May 2014, registering a marginal growth of 0.7% for the period. With the negative growth seen from sub regions, Central/Eastern Europe (-10.3%) and Western Europe (-5.6%) during the month of May 2014, the overall growth rate from both the regions resulted negative growths of -5.1% and -0.6% respectively, for the period from January to May 2014. Best performance for the month of May was recorded from East Mediterranean Europe with a positive 41.5% increase. While Southern Europe posted a +15% growth during the month of May resulting in a positive growth of 5.3% at the end of the period January to May, Northern Europe registered a growth rate of 4.3% for the month of May leading to an increase of +7.2% for the period in review. In terms of market shares, the two sub regions which posted negative growths covered most of the arrivals from Europe. While a total of 105,923 tourists taking hold of 20% shares was recorded for the Western Europe, Central Eastern Europe took hold of 10.6% shares with 54,691 arrivals. When looking at individual market performances from Europe, top five markets were Germany, U.K, Russia, Italy and France. The German market maintained its position at the top with 8.3% shares. With an additional 8,365 tourists in May 2014, the total arrivals from Germany for the period from January to May 2014 was 43,188 resulting in a slight increase of 0.9% for the period. The U.K market did well with a 4.6% increase at the end of May 2014, supplying 7.7% to market shares for the period. The Russian market deteriorated further posting a negative growth of 7.5% for the period from January to May 2014. Market share of Russia stood at 6.4% at the end of the period. Italy and France remained at 4th and 5th positions respectively with 6.0% share and 5.9% shares. While the Italian market has shown improvements posting a positive growth of 1.7% at the end of May 2014, the French market performed with a negative growth of 3.6%.

Asia and the Pacific region has been showing outstanding results throughout the last five months of 2014. The region overtook Europe, to be the leading market generator during the month of May 2014 taking hold of 55% of total arrivals to the Maldives during the month. With a total of 50,354 tourists in May, the total arrivals from the Region for the period from January to May 2014, was recorded to be 229,847, which was a 24.7% increase over the same period of 2013. The region represented 44.4% of all arrivals during the period January to May 2014. All sub regions posted above average growth rates with South East Asia as the leading sub region with 64.1% in terms of growth rate. Over 75% of all arrivals from Asia and the Pacific and 33% of total arrivals to Maldives during the period from January to May, came from sub region North East Asia.  By individual market performances, China continues to show remarkable performances maintaining its number one position as the market leader with more than 27% shares. At the end of May 2014, a total of 141,249 tourists arrived in Maldives from China, which was 23.3% increase over the same period of 2013.  India, Japan and Korea were the second, third and fourth markets respectively from this region. Indian market saw an increase of 13.1% during the period in review contributing 3.5% as market shares at the end of the period. The Japanese market improved its performance posting an impressive growth rate of nearly 16% during the month of May leading to a positive 7.1% growth rate for the period from January to May 2014. A strong growth of 45% was recorded from the Korean market during this period with the arrivals reaching a total of 14,016 at the end of May. Market share of Korea stood at 2.7% at the end of the period.

Americas, which was the third leading region with 3.4% shares, brought in 17,470 tourists to the Maldives during the period January to May 2014. A healthy growth of 32% was recorded from this region for the period. The U.S. market took hold of over 60% of arrivals from the region with a total of 10,483 tourists at the end of the period. The Middle East market share was increased to 2.7% maintained at 2.6% during the period. This region also posted an impressive growth of 24.2% for the period. Double digit growth rates were recorded from all major markets from the region. Africa region market share remained at 0.6% at the end of May 2014. Although a negative growth (-6.8%) was recorded from this region for the month of May 2014, the overall growth rate remained positive at 1.4% at the end of the period from January to May 2014.

At the end of May 2014, the total number of registered tourist establishments reached 460 with 30,510 beds, out of which on average 291 establishments with a sum total of 27,004 beds were operational during the period in review. These include 105 tourist resorts (23,029 beds), 17 hotels (1,510 beds), 112 guest houses (1,539 beds) and 57 safari vessels (927 beds). The overall bed nights of these establishments saw an increase of 5.9% during the period reaching a total of 3,262,667 nights. While the occupancy rate recorded an increase of 2.3% to attain an average of 80.2% for the period, average duration of stay of the tourists saw a decline of 0.4%. The average duration of stay for the period was 6.3 days.

Source: Ministry of Tourism

Business

Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space

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Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has announced the opening of Feydhoo Hall, a landmark event venue at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, redefining the possibilities for meetings, celebrations, and destination events in the Maldives.

Designed to bring scale, flexibility, and creativity to island gatherings, Feydhoo Hall represents a bold step forward in positioning the Maldives as a dynamic destination for conferences, weddings, and large-scale social occasions.

Feydhoo Hall offers a versatile event complex designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and social celebrations.

At its core is the 390 sqm Main Hall, capable of hosting:

  • Up to 300 guests in theatre-style setup
  • Up to 240 guests for dining and banquet-style events
  • Up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions
  • Up to 144 guests in cluster-round configuration

Enhancing the flexibility of the venue are additional dedicated spaces, including:

  • A 110 sqm Veranda Terrace, ideal for welcome receptions, breakout sessions, and pre-event gatherings, accommodating up to 100 guests for cocktail-style events.
  • A spacious 1,000 sqm Lawn Space, perfect for large-scale outdoor celebrations, destination weddings, and open-air events, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 350 guests for dining setups.
  • The 55 sqm Ekugai Meeting Room, designed for smaller meetings and executive sessions, accommodating up to 30 guests in theatre or dining setup and 24 guests in cluster-round format.

Together, these integrated spaces create a seamless indoor-outdoor event experience, allowing planners to design dynamic and personalised event journeys.

True to the dusitD2 brand’s lifestyle-driven philosophy, Feydhoo Hall introduces a fresh approach to meetings and events — where productivity meets creativity in an inspiring island setting.

The venue offers flexible meeting formats designed to suit different event needs, including:

  • Half-Day Meeting Package (4 hours) — ideal for focused sessions, executive meetings, and creative workshops.
  • Full-Day Meeting Package (8 hours) — designed for immersive conferences, extended workshops, and large-scale corporate gatherings.

These thoughtfully structured packages provide planners with the flexibility to create impactful and seamless experiences, whether hosting intimate strategy sessions or dynamic full-day events.

Located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives combines accessibility with vibrant lifestyle energy, offering event planners and guests a rare balance between convenience and tropical escape.

With the introduction of Feydhoo Hall, the resort strengthens its position as a versatile destination — not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, creative retreats, luxury weddings, and large-scale social celebrations seeking something refreshingly different in the Maldives.

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Ventive Hospitality aligns Maldives portfolio with Green Fins marine sustainability platform

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Ventive Hospitality Limited, a leading owner, developer, and asset manager of luxury and upper-upscale hospitality assets in India and the Maldives, on Monday announced that three of its Maldives resorts — Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, RAAYA by Atmosphere, and Anantara Dhigu and Veli — have been inducted as Green Fins Digital Members, aligning the portfolio with the world’s first global marine tourism sustainability platform.

Developed by The Reef-World Foundation in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Green Fins Hub is a landmark digital initiative designed to scale responsible marine tourism practices from approximately 700 operators in 14 countries today to a potential 30,000 operators worldwide, significantly amplifying coral reef protection efforts at a global level.

For Ventive Hospitality, this recognition goes beyond certification, it represents the institutionalisation of science-based marine conservation standards across assets located in one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive tourism destinations.

Coral reefs support at least 25% of marine life and contribute up to 40% of GDP in some island nations. Yet they remain among the most climate vulnerable ecosystems globally, with even marginal temperature increases posing existential threats.

By joining the Green Fins Digital Membership framework, Ventive’s Maldives resorts commit to structured sustainability action plans with defined environmental targets, annual self-evaluation and environmental impact scoring, continuous monitoring and measurable progress tracking, access to over 100 proven operational solutions for reducing marine impact, alignment of diving, snorkelling, and marine recreation with globally benchmarked reef protection standards.

The programme equips operators with practical, cost efficient tools to reduce environmental footprint while strengthening transparency and accountability, increasingly critical as sustainability shapes global travel decisions.

Ranjit Batra, CEO, Ventive Hospitality Limited, said: “The Maldives’ marine ecosystems are among the most extraordinary natural assets in global tourism and among the most vulnerable. As long-term custodians of these destinations, we believe sustainability must be embedded into operational systems, not treated as a peripheral initiative. Through Green Fins, we are institutionalising global best practices across our portfolio and reinforcing our commitment to responsible growth, environmental accountability, and long-term value creation.”

Recent industry research conducted by The Reef-World Foundation found that 83% of dive tourists seek stronger sustainability education, 75% are willing to pay more for responsible experiences, 85% find it difficult to identify truly sustainable operators. The Green Fins Hub addresses this gap by introducing structured environmental scoring systems and clear performance thresholds, catalysing a measurable shift toward sustainability across marine tourism.

Dr Oriana Migliaccio, Sustainability Manager & Marine Biologist (PhD) at Anantara Dhigu and Veli, said: “Seeing our guests actively engage in conservation makes every effort worthwhile. When people become part of the solution, we move closer to protecting the ocean we all depend on.”

Ventive Hospitality continues to advance a disciplined, ESG aligned asset management strategy. The Green Fins Digital Membership strengthens the company’s positioning as a responsible hospitality platform that integrates environmental science, operational excellence, and destination preservation into its broader growth roadmap.

Jessica Miller, Marine Biologist at Conrad Maldives, says: “Protecting coral reefs is not optional, it is fundamental to the future of island tourism. By integrating science with sustainable practice, we ensure these ecosystems endure for generations to come.

As global tourism accelerates toward sustainability driven decision making, Ventive Hospitality’s Maldives portfolio stands aligned with international conservation benchmarks, contributing to a more resilient future for coral reefs and marine biodiversity worldwide

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Awards

Double gold win for OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI and OZEN LIFE MAADHOO at Junior Travel Awards

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OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI and OZEN LIFE MAADHOO in the Maldives have been awarded The JOINT GOLD winner of the ‘Best All-Inclusive Hotel for Families’ in the inaugural Junior Travel Awards 2026.

This significant win comes in the primary year of these brand-new awards, hosted by Junior magazine—one of the UK’s most influential family titles. Renowned for expertly curating essential advice for the parenting journey, Junior is a trusted authority that champions premium brands and businesses of all sizes.

In awarding GOLD to OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI and OZEN LIFE MAADHOO, the award recognises that: “The all-inclusive offering at both resorts is refreshingly complete with dining, spa treatments, snorkelling trips, and daily activities all included, letting families focus on spending time together instead of planning”.

The judges continue, “Accommodation can suit families of every size and the thoughtfully planned two-bedroom villas offer privacy for parents and space for children, while playful overwater suites with slides add a sense of adventure without losing sight of comfort or design. Everything feels considered, from layouts to location”.

The Junior Travel Awards judges could see that children are incredibly well catered for at OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI and OZEN LIFE MAADHOO. Both resorts offer spacious and engaging kids’ clubs, guided marine excursions with resident biologists, complimentary bicycles, and an array of water sports to ensure all ages can be entertained. For slightly older children, the teens can explore the lagoon or dive into activities, while the younger children enjoy calm, shallow waters and soft white beaches.

Furthermore, the experience is defined by unparalleled personal service. Each villa is assigned a dedicated butler, known as a Hiyani, who is available 24/7 via WhatsApp. This ensures that every guest request, whether grand or simple, is transformed into a flawlessly seamless and effortless moment.

Bonita Turner, editor of Junior commented “Having experienced both resorts, it’s hard to choose one over the other. However, for families, I’d confidently point you toward Bolifushi, home to the largest kids’ club in the Maldives, no less! Both are set in out-of-this-world surroundings, where every little luxury you could want from a dream getaway is right in front of you – no pressure, no purse, and truly no place like it.”

THE OZEN COLLECTION is also featured by the UK’s premier tour operators, including Best at Travel, Inspiring Travel, Elegant Resorts, Virgin Holidays, Carrier, and Destinology. Together with these esteemed partners, the premium brand is redefining the future of family luxury travel, transforming the all-inclusive experience into a seamless journey of joy, discovery, and unforgettable connection.

Overnight rates at OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI start from USD 2,295, two sharing an Earth Pool Villa with the RESERVE™ Plan, including complimentary luxury catamaran transfers to and from Velana International Airport, Malé. Overnight rates at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO start from USD 1,646 two sharing an Earth Villa with the INDULGENCE™ Plan, including complimentary luxury speedboat transfers to and from Velana International Airport, Malé.

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