Business
Voting begins for World Travel Awards Indian Ocean nominees
World Travel Awards (WTA) has announced the nominees and opened voting for its Indian Ocean regional segment.
Set to take place at the Durban International Convention Centre (Durban ICC) in South Africa on October 6, the red-carpet Africa and Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony will gather hospitality leaders from across the region to see who amongst them has been voted the best in the business.
As voting continues until August 19, Maldives is vying for the coveted titles of Indian Ocean’s Leading Beach Destination, Indian Ocean’s Leading Cruise Destination, Indian Ocean’s Leading Destination, Indian Ocean’s Leading Dive Destination, Indian Ocean’s Leading Green Destination and Indian Ocean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination.
Maldives flagship carrier Maldivian is competing for the titles of Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline – Business Class, Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline – Economy Class, Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline, Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline Brand and Indian Ocean’s Leading Cabin Crew, while Trans Maldivian Airport is vying for the award of Indian Ocean’s Leading Seaplane Operator.
Meanwhile, Maldives main Velana International Airport has been nominated for the award of Indian Ocean’s Leading Airport.
Several Maldivian resorts and hotels have also been nominated for prestigious awards, including:
- Indian Ocean’s Leading Beach Resort:
– Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives
– LUX* South Ari Atoll
– One&Only Reethi Rah - Indian Ocean’s Leading Boutique Hotel:
– COMO Cocoa Island
– Naladhu Private Island Maldives - Indian Ocean’s Leading Boutique Hotel Brand:
– Coco Collection - Indian Ocean’s Leading Culinary Hotel:
– Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
– JA Manafaru
– One&Only Reethi Rah - Indian Ocean’s Leading Dive Resort:
– Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort
– Bandos Maldives
– Constance Moofushi
– Komandoo Island Resort and Spa
– OBLU By Atmosphere at Helengeli
– Vakarufalhi Island Resort - Indian Ocean’s Leading Family Resort:
– Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort
– Kanuhura Maldives
– Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives
– Lily Beach Resort and Spa
– Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort and Spa
– Soneva Fushi
– The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Maldives - Indian Ocean’s Leading Green Resort:
– Gili Lankanfushi
– Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
– Six Senses Laamu - Indian Ocean’s Leading Honeymoon Resort:
– Cheval Blanc Randheli
– COMO Cocoa Island
– JA Manafaru
– The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort - Indian Ocean’s Leading Hotel:
– Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
– LUX* South Ari Atoll - Indian Ocean’s Leading Hotel Residences:
– Gili Lankanfushi
– Velaa Private Island Maldives - Indian Ocean’s Leading Hotel Suite:
– Extreme WOW Ocean Haven at W Maldives
– Royal Island Suite at JA Manafaru
– The Rehendi Presidential Suite at Taj Exotica Resort and Spa - Indian Ocean’s Leading Leisure Hotel:
– Anantara Veli Maldives Resort
– Hulhule Island Hotel
– Soneva Fushi - Indian Ocean’s Leading Luxury Hotel Villa:
– Baros Residence and Baros Maldives
– Grand Sunset Residence and One&Only Reethi Rah
– The Royal Residence and Jumeirah Vittaveli - Indian Ocean’s Leading Luxury Island Resort:
– Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah
– Jumeirah Vittaveli
– The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
– Velaa Private Island Maldives - Indian Ocean’s Leading Luxury Resort:
– Ayada Maldives
– Baros Maldives
– Cheval Blanc Randheli
– Dhevanafushi Maldives Luxury Resort Managed by AccorHotels
– Gili Lankanfushi
– Huvafen Fushi Maldives
– Milaidhoo Island Maldives
– OZEN by Atmosphere at Maadhoo - Indian Ocean’s Leading Luxury Villa Resort:
– Cheval Blanc Randheli
– Jumeirah Vittaveli
– Velaa Private Island Maldives - Indian Ocean’s Leading Luxury Water Villa:
– Escape Water Villa at Coco Bodu Hithi
– Extreme WOW Ocean Haven at W Maldives
– Grand Water Villa at One&Only Reethi Rah
– Laamu Water Villa at Six Senses Laamu
– Ocean Suites at Paradise Island Resort and Spa
– Two-Bedroom Ocean Pavilion at Huvafen Fushi Maldives - Indian Ocean’s Leading MICE Hotel:
– Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives
– Hulhule Island Hotel
– Kurumba Maldives
– Paradise Island Resort and Spa - Indian Ocean’s Leading New Resort:
– Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi
– Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives
– Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort - Indian Ocean’s Leading Private Island Resort:
– Coco Privé Private Island Maldives
– COMO Cocoa Island, Maldives
– Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah
– Velaa Private Island Maldives - Indian Ocean’s Leading Resort:
– Amari Havodda Maldives
– Baros Maldives
– Cheval Blanc Randheli
– Coco Bodu Hithi
– Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
– Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa
– Gili Lankanfushi
– Huvafen Fushi Maldives
– JA Manafaru
– Taj Exotica Resort and Spa
– The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Maldives
– W Maldives - Indian Ocean’s Leading Villa Resort:
– Amari Havodda Maldives
– Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas
– Angsana Velavaru
– Cheval Blanc Randheli
– Coco Bodu Hithi
– Hurawalhi Maldives - Indian Ocean’s Leading Water Villa Resort:
– Adaaran Prestige Water Villas Maldives
– Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort
– Baros Maldives
– Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
– Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa
– Sun Aqua Vilu Reef - Indian Ocean’s Most Romantic Resort:
– Baros Maldives
– Coco Bodu Hithi
– Taj Exotica Resort and Spa
Maldives based travel agencies and tour operators are also competing for several awards: Diethlam Travel Maldives for Indian Ocean’s Leading Destination Management Company; Get Into Maldives Travels, Intour Maldives and Vermillion International Maldives for Indian Ocean’s Leading Luxury Tour Operator; and Get Into Maldives Travels, Simply Maldives and Vermillion International Maldives for Indian Ocean’s Leading Travel Agency.
World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry. Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.
Each year, World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region.
World Travel Awards Gala Ceremonies are widely regarded as the best networking opportunities in the travel industry, attended by government and industry leaders, luminaries and international print and broadcast media.
Business
Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space
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.
Business
BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet
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.
Action
Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah
Ataraxis Grand & Spa recently hosted a week-long, closed corporate offsite in Fuvahmulah for a US-based artificial intelligence company, highlighting the island’s growing suitability for integrated work-and-experience retreats. The retreat brought a group of 36 international professionals to the property, which was reserved exclusively for the programme.
Designed as a private company offsite, the stay combined structured daily work sessions with guided diving and beginner-friendly surf experiences, creating a balanced format that blended focused collaboration with physical reset.

A notable component of the programme was dive training and certification. During the retreat, 17 participants completed their Open Water certification, while a further six undertook the Advanced Open Water course, with training and dives scheduled alongside work sessions as part of the integrated itinerary.
Throughout the week, participants worked on-site using dedicated shared spaces supported by reliable high-speed internet, allowing meetings, informal collaboration and scheduled activities to take place within a single, uninterrupted environment. This setup enabled teams to move seamlessly between work periods and organised ocean activities without leaving the property.

Fuvahmulah’s natural and operational advantages formed a key part of the retreat’s appeal. As one of the Maldives’ largest inhabited islands, it offers immediate access to pelagic dive sites, internationally recognised shark diving and surf breaks suitable for instruction, alongside the infrastructure required to support extended group stays.

The offsite reflects a growing preference among technology and knowledge-sector teams for small-scale retreats that prioritise concentrated work environments and team cohesion over traditional conference formats. Such programmes typically involve longer stays and higher per-capita spend, aligning with sustainable, quality-driven tourism models.
The retreat also demonstrates how locally operated properties such as Ataraxis Grand & Spa are supporting this shift by delivering unified environments where accommodation, workspaces, connectivity and curated experiences operate as a single programme rather than separate services.

As organisations continue to explore alternative formats for strategy sessions, team resets and creative offsites, Ataraxis Grand & Spa’s experience positions Fuvahmulah as an increasingly viable destination for integrated corporate retreats.
Ataraxis Grand & Spa offers work-and-dive retreat programmes in Fuvahmulah that combine accommodation, dedicated workspaces, high-speed connectivity and organised diving and surfing.

Further information on retreat formats and dive-inclusive stays is available via the Ataraxis Grand & Spa website.
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