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Guesthouses Maldives Conference 2017 kicks off

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Guesthouses Maldives Conference 2017 kicked off Saturday morning, connecting guesthouse owners and industry stakeholders with travel agents.

Organised by local PR firm Maldives Getaways, the conference, which is being held at Paradise Island Resort, is attended by representatives of 17o guesthouses across the Maldives along with a number of industry professionals and budget travel agents.

An impressive lineup of industry professionals and experts will also join the conference, which is sponsored by local telecom giant Dhiraagu, as keynote speakers.

Asitha Jayawardena and Pemindee Gamage, both Account Managers at Booking.com, are set to speak about attracting tourists to the Maldives in light of the increasing number of beds in the country.

Abhay Khanna, the Senior Market Manager for Maldives at Expedia Inc., will address the attendees on how guesthouses can use online travel agents to grow tourism in local islands and will brief them on how Expedia can be a tool for growth.

The topic of guest handling and training for guesthouses will be dealt by Vaibhav Garg, Cluster Director of Talent and Culture for AccorHotels Maldives. His lecture will also guide guesthouses to run in a more efficient, responsible and beneficial manner.

Shaira Saleem will speak about how tourists can explore the Maldives culture and how cultural tourism can be the next big thing in the industry.

Shoko Noda, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative to the Maldives, will also join the conference to share her insights into the importance of sustainable tourism and supporting the local community.

Meanwhile, Shaahina Ali, Chairperson for Parley Maldives, will launch the Parley for the Oceans Maldives campaign on responsible disposal of plastics.

The one-day conference brings together representatives from 200 guesthouses across the Maldives and more than 50 local and international travel agents that are solely focused on the budget travel market. Representatives of leading online travel agents such as Expedia and Booking.com will also participate in the conference.

Maldives, known world over for its upmarket tourism industry, has resorts in the hundreds spread across the archipelago. The industry has in recent years expanded to introduce more affordable segments, including guesthouses and liveaboards. Some 330 guesthouses have started operations over the past five years as the number of travellers that choose to stay in guesthouses rise.

The annual Guesthouses Maldives Conference, endorsed by central bank Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), Association of Travel Agents (ATA) Maldives and Guesthouses Association of Maldives, is aimed at bringing together owners and key stakeholders from the guesthouses and travel industry to discuss and share ideas on the challenges as well as the opportunities in the industry. Through the invitation-only conference, the organisers target to find ways to bring in 500,000 tourists to guesthouses across the Maldives by the year 2020.

The first edition of the conference, held in Male in September 2016, was attended by over 160 guesthouse operators, local and international travel agents, tour operators, online travel agents (OTAs), airlines, government agencies and business leaders.

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2 decades of culinary excellence: BBM’s founding legacy with Hotel Asia continues in 2025

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Hotel Asia Exhibition and International Culinary Challenge is referred to be the hospitality industry event in the Maldives. In this year’s Culinary Challenge (19 to 22 October 2025) comprising competitions over 20 categories, most will take place at the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Maldives National University, and some at the Synthetic Track, Hulhumalé.

A Founding Partnership that Endures

Since the very first edition in 2001, Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) has played a central role in shaping the International Culinary Challenge into the Maldives’ most prestigious culinary platform. The event has become a cornerstone for professional development, bringing together chefs from across the Maldives to compete, learn, and showcase their craft.

BBM and their associated Principals sponsor an overwhelming majority of categories. “From the beginning, our goal has been to create opportunities for Maldivian chefs to rise to global standards. This partnership has grown with the industry itself,” said A.V.S. Subrahmanyam, Chief Operating Officer of BBM.

Nurturing Local Talent

BBM’s contribution extends beyond sponsorship. The company has built a long-term system for recognizing and developing local culinary talent.

  • BBM Chairman’s Trophy for the Best Maldivian Competitor.
  • Most Promising Young Chef Award for emerging talent.
  • Global exposure programs for Maldivian chefs through sponsored participation in international events.
  • Pro-bono Masterclasses with world-renowned chefs to encourage learning and innovation.

Investing in the Future of Hospitality

Through initiatives such as Building Young Talent, BBM continues to mentor aspiring professionals and support the next generation of chefs. The company also promotes inclusivity by sponsoring opportunities for female and young chefs to gain international exposure.

BBM’s industry partnerships include its role as Title Sponsor of the Hotelier Maldives Awards, celebrating excellence across the Maldivian hospitality sector.

Proud Sponsors of Culinary Excellence

In 2025, BBM and its partner brands proudly sponsor 14 competition categories and 8 Main Awards, further strengthening their role in the development of culinary arts in the Maldives. Categories include Decorated Cake, Artistic Showpiece, Bread and Pastry Display, Three Desserts (Display), Desserts, Rice Dish, Asian Noodles, Team Challenge, Maldivian Dish, Creative Sandwich, Young Chef, Tea Challenge, tapas/finger food, and Iced Mocktail.

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Bestbuy Maldives, MNU forge partnership to advance hospitality education

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The Maldives National University – Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Studies (MNU-FHTS) and Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen industry-academic collaboration and advance hospitality education in the Maldives.

The MoU was signed by Dr Aishath Shehenaz Adam, Vice Chancellor of MNU, and Ismail Hilmy, Chairman and Managing Director of BBM, during a ceremony attended by the university’s Chancellor Dr Mahmood Shaugee, senior management, and representatives from both organisations.

This partnership marks a significant milestone in developing a state-of-the-art Food and Beverage Practical Demonstration Kitchen at MNU-FHTS. BBM will support the upgrading of the existing Garde Manger kitchen and classrooms, contributing financially and materially to create a modern, industry-standard learning environment for future hospitality professionals.

Beyond infrastructure, the collaboration will extend to academic and training support, research and innovation in culinary arts, community engagement, and professional networking opportunities, ensuring that students gain practical, real-world experience aligned with industry expectations.

Highlighting the broader purpose of this partnership, BBM stated that, “This is a significant step in the direction of BBM’s vision involving hospitality industry outreach in the Maldives — because tomorrows start today. Initially, we will set up a world-class model kitchen that will be suitable for masterclasses and hands-on training for students; and also for product demonstrations, masterclasses, and interaction with groups of customers.”

Speaking at the ceremony, representatives from both institutions emphasised their shared vision to promote excellence in education, innovation, and human capital development in the Maldivian hospitality sector. This partnership underscores BBM’s continued commitment to supporting education and industry growth, and MNU-FHTS’s mission to bridge the gap between academia and industry — nurturing the next generation of hospitality leaders in the Maldives.

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SATA 2025 announces partnerships; confirms Hotelier Maldives, Maldives Insider as Media Partners

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Hotelier Maldives and Maldives Insider have been confirmed as official Media Partners of the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2025. The announcement was made during a signing ceremony held at Hulhulé Island Hotel, Maldives, where SATA unveiled its distinguished partners for the 9th edition of the annual awards.

Now in its ninth year, SATA has become a key platform for recognising excellence in South Asia’s tourism and hospitality sector. The partnership with Hotelier Maldives and Maldives Insider will strengthen the awards’ regional visibility and ensure extensive coverage of the event across Maldives and beyond.

This year’s awards ceremony will take place from 19th to 20th September 2025 at Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Sri Lanka, bringing together industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators from across South Asia.

In addition to the media partnership, SATA 2025 also announced its corporate partners. Honda Marine has been named the Platinum Partner, while The Hawks, Velana International Airport, and Allied Insurance Company of the Maldives join as Gold Partners. Renaatus Realty has been confirmed as the Silver Partner, and Hulhulé Island Hotel continues as the official Hospitality Partner in the Maldives.

Speaking at the ceremony, SATA organisers noted that the strong lineup of partners reflects the growing importance of collaboration within the tourism and hospitality industry. With the support of its partners, SATA 2025 aims not only to celebrate outstanding achievements but also to foster long-term cooperation and sustainable growth in the region’s tourism sector.

The awards are endorsed by leading national tourism bodies and associations across South Asia, including the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Nepal Tourism Board, Visit Maldives Corporation Limited, and several travel and hotel associations across the region.

This year’s evaluation process was conducted by a panel of nine jury members representing different countries, including tourism leaders from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Spain, and the Maldives.

Through partnerships with media outlets such as Hotelier Maldives and Maldives Insider, SATA 2025 will ensure broad engagement across key markets, strengthening its position as one of South Asia’s most prestigious hospitality and travel award platforms.

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