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Nominee evaluations for SATA 2018 begins

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Evaluation of nominees for South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2018 kicked off on Tuesday.

In a statement, organiser Highrise said a panel of multi national experts will be evaluating the Maldives based nominees from Tuesday to Sunday at Mookai Hotel in capital Male. The jury is based on the number of nominees from major participating destinations, and includes Amal Goonetilleke, Rinku Madan and Hinna Khalid, it added.

“They are chosen on the basis of their entrepreneurial experience, their achievements and their commitment to supporting and knowledge about the tourism and service industry. They play a key role in reviewing the nominees and selecting the finalists during the Awards competition,” the statement read.

“The jury members then give feedback through an online system designed for evaluation process with individual login.”

Amal Goonetilleke

With over three decades of experience in the field of tourism and hospitality, Amal specialises in sales and marketing for hotels and resorts. Presently a marketing consultant for hospitality companies with local and international affiliations, she is well versed in multiple disciplines of sales and marketing across global markets and segments such as corporate, MICE, leisure, and revenue management.

She is recognised as one of the leaders in hospitality focused sales and marketing in her native Sri Lanka. She held the position of Vice President at The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, Vice President at Colombo City Hotels Association and Chairperson at PATA Sri Lanka Chapter, and was a Board Member of the Sri Lanka Promotions Bureau.

In recognition of her contribution to the industry, she was awarded the Zonta Woman of Achievement Award for Tourism in 2009 and Women in Management – Tourism Gold Award in 2015.

Rinku Madan

Rinku recently completed her studies in Global Journalism at Harvard University, with the objective of pursuing her writing skills in the area of global luxury travel. She had earlier studied at the French Culinary Institute in the area of food writing. Having worked with luminaries like Alan Richman and Andrew Fischer, she is amongst the very few certified food writers in India with a global experience.

Her penchant for understanding food and other finer aspects of life commenced more than a decade ago, as the chef at a seven-star members-only restaurant.  This was followed by her stint as the Editor of Times Nightlife Guide. She further honed her journalism skills through weekly columns at The Economic Times and The Sunday Times, and with leading business and general dailies in the Times Group fold and the BBC Good Food Guide. She was also a producer at the CNN International Bureau, New Delhi for a brief period.

Rinku’s experience in writing feature articles on food, restaurants, cuisines and luxury properties enhanced her skills, and enabled her to pursue luxury as a focus area, not only as a writer but also as a food stylist and consultant in the field of food and beverage.

Hinna Khalid

Hinna is a professional consultant, researcher, lecturer and writer who has contributed immensely to educating and empowering people. She has completed a Masters in Arts in Applied Social Research at University of West of England, a Post Graduate Diploma in Social Science Research Methods at University of Bristol, and a Post Graduate Diploma in PHC Management at Mahidol University. She is now a Doctoral Student of Philosophy at Management and Science University, Malaysia (MSU).

She has over 25 years of experience in administration, having worked at policy level and managing institutions. Her experience includes collaboration and working with UNDP, WHO, ROSA, UNICEF, IMF and World Bank representatives and several other stakeholders.

Hinna has made contributions to policy dialogues for the Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Home affairs, Male City Council. She had previously headed the Vice Presidential Secretariat, and had also served as the focal point for Commonwealth’s decentralisation and regionalisation projects in Maldives.

According to Highrise, evaluations will be held in six cities, including Male, Colombo, Bangalore, New Delhi, Kathmandu and Paro. During the evaluation, each property has to do a presentation of 10 minutes before a panel consisting of multi-national judges, it said.

Nominations for the third edition of SATA, which consists of 36 categories in 10 segments, closed in April with a record 500 plus nominations.

Jumeirah, Soneva, Sun Siyam Resorts, Coco Collection, Villa Hotels, The Kingsbury, Amaya Hotels and Resorts, Adaaran Resorts Maldives, Heritance Hotels, Jetwing Hotels, Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, Marriott and Taj Hotels are some of the well-known brands that have been nominated for the awards.

Online voting is ongoing, and will be carried out via the official website till June 30.

SATA 2018 gala is scheduled to take place in India’s commercial capital Mumbai from September 14-15.

Launched in 2016 by Maldives based event management company Highrise, SATA has been endorsed by regional tourism authorities and organisations, including the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Sri Lanka (FCCISL), Colombo Chamber of Commerce (CCC), Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO), Confederation of Associated Tour Operators (India), Association of Travel Agents (ATA) Maldives, Association of Travel and Tour Operators India (ATTOI), Association of Professionals in Tourism (APT, India), Kerala Hotel General Managers Club (KHGMC), Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Liveaboard Association of Maldives (LAM).

SATA is the first ever regional travel awards endorsed by multi national associations, providing the tourism sector of the South Asian region with recognition towards their facilities and service excellence. It aims to encourage and raise service standards in the region’s tourism industry.

The awards’ first edition, which wrapped up with a gala ceremony at the iconic Mount Lavinia Hotel in Sri Lanka, saw an overwhelming support with more than 260 nominations. Major travel media organisations, including Maldives Insider, Asian Traveller, Asian Geographic, Asian Diver and Floating Asia were appointed as media partners of SATA 2016.

More than 414 nominations from the Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal were received for the 39 categories included in the 2017 edition of SATA, which took place at the southernmost Maldives atoll of Addu in October.

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BBM renews as Title Partner of Hotelier Maldives Awards under multi-year agreement

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Hotelier Maldives has announced Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) as the Title Partner of Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 under a multi-year agreement, reaffirming one of the longest-standing partnerships behind the publication’s flagship hospitality recognition platform.

The 2026 edition marks the third consecutive year that BBM has served as Title Partner of Hotelier Maldives Awards, having supported the event in the same capacity since its launch in 2024. BBM has also backed Hotelier Maldives’ second flagship event, GM Forum, every year since 2023, with 2026 set to mark its fourth year as a Silver Partner of the forum.

The continued partnership reflects a shared commitment to recognising the people behind the Maldives’ tourism industry while supporting platforms that encourage industry dialogue, leadership and professional development.

Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 entered its public voting phase on 15 March 2026, with voting set to remain open for one month. Winners will be announced at the gala ceremony on 26 April 2026 at NIVA Kurumba Maldives.

Commenting on the partnership, Ali Naafiz, Editor of Hotelier Maldives, said: “BBM has been a valued partner of Hotelier Maldives Awards since the very beginning, and we are pleased to formalise this continued support through a multi-year agreement. Their decision to return as Title Partner for a third consecutive year reflects not only the strength of our relationship, but also a shared belief in the importance of recognising the people who drive excellence across the Maldives’ hospitality industry.

“BBM has also consistently supported GM Forum over the years, making them one of the most committed partners across our event platforms. We are proud to continue working together as we strengthen both Hotelier Maldives Awards and GM Forum as annual fixtures for the industry.”

AVS Subrahmanyam, Chief Operating Officer of BBM, said: “At BBM, we have always believed that a strong hospitality industry is built by strong people, and Hotelier Maldives Awards provides an important national platform to recognise the professionals whose work often takes place behind the scenes. We are pleased to continue as Title Partner of the awards under this multi-year agreement, while also extending our support to GM Forum for a fourth consecutive year.

“As a company that has grown alongside the Maldives’ hospitality sector, we value opportunities that celebrate talent, encourage professional pride and contribute to the long-term development of the industry. Our continued partnership with Hotelier Maldives reflects that commitment.”

Bestbuy Maldives is one of the country’s leading importers and distributors, serving the hospitality, HORECA and retail sectors with a broad portfolio of international brands. The company positions itself as a partner to the Maldivian hospitality industry, supplying products from around the world across key business verticals including resorts, foodservice and retail.

Hotelier Maldives Awards continues to recognise the contributions of resort-based hospitality professionals across the Maldives, highlighting both individual excellence and team performance. The awards programme remains the country’s only dedicated recognition platform focused on professionals working in resort operations. The current public voting round allows industry stakeholders, colleagues, guests and the wider public to take part in selecting this year’s winners.

The growing list of confirmed partners for Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 includes Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) as Title Partner, Dhiraagu as Platinum Partner, Storm Events as Organising Partner, NIVA, Kurumba Maldives as Host Partner, Souvenir Marine as Transport Partner, ALIA as Associate Sponsor, and Lightsout Studios as Associate Partner. More partners and sponsors will be announced soon.

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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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BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet

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Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) opened a new wholesale store in Hulhumalé Phase 2 on Monday.

The outlet is located on the ground floor of Lot 20286, Nirolhu Magu, and is intended to improve access to BBM’s imported goods for residents of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and for businesses operating in the area.

According to the company, the opening forms part of its plan to expand services closer to customers in line with population growth in Hulhumalé.

With the opening of the new store, BBM’s full range of imported and distributed products will be available at the Hulhumalé Phase 2 location. These include consumer goods from international brands such as Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Unilever.

The store will also stock wholesale food products from brands including Daily, Cavin’s and Redman.

BBM has supplied goods to resorts, hotels and retail outlets across the Maldives for several years.

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