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MMPRC opens registration for three travel trade fairs

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Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) has opened registration for three travel trade fairs taking place in January 2019.

Registration is open for the OneWorld Travel Market (OTM), which takes places in the Indian city of Mumbai from January 23-25, and FITUR 2019, which is to be held in Spanish capital of Madrid from January January 23-27. The cooperation is also accepting registration for FESPO 2019, to be held in the Swiss financial capital of Zurich January 31 to February 3.

MMPRC asked those interested in taking part in these fairs to fill in separate co-exhibitor registration forms (OTM, FITUR and FESPO) and send them to its office with the payment before 3pm on December 13.

Registration for each fair costs USD 1,000 for resorts, hotels, and foreign travel agents and tour operators, while safari vessels, guesthouses, local travel agents, dive operators, transfer companies and picnic islands will be charged USD 500. The fee covers two representatives per company, with each additional official being charged USD 212 for participation.

With over 1,000 exhibitors from 50 countries, OTM is the largest and most international travel trade show in India, now also the largest in the Asia-Pacific region on the basis of sellers, buyers, rented area and number of participating countries. More than 15,000 trade visitors and over 800 buyers from across all industry sectors visit this annual exhibition every year.

India has become a major emerging source market for the Maldives’ tourism industry.

Official figures show that 83,019 tourists arrived in Maldives from its closest neighbour last year, a 24 percent increase from the 66,955 Indian travellers that chose the Maldives in 2016.

That growth is expected to continue this year as well, as the number of Indian tourists that visited the Maldives recorded a 1.7 percent increase in the January-October period of this year to reach 64,224 compared to 63,141 in the same period last year.

Now in its 39th year, FITUR is one of the biggest global platforms for leading travel trade professionals for inbound and outbound markets. The first three days of the fair is solely for trade visitors and the last two days are for both trade visitors and public.

Arrivals to the Maldives from the Spanish market grew 10.5 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year. That growth has almost tripled in the past 10 months of this year, with arrivals reaching 26,723 from 21,047 in the January-October period.

Now in its 29th year, the FESPO fair offers its visitors information about adventurous, exciting, relaxing and unique holidays. In 2018, over 600 exhibitors showcased their products and attractive offers to an audience of more than 63,000 visitors.

Majority of Swiss travellers to the Maldives are repeat visitors, and Switzerland has been highlighted as one of the most potential markets for Maldives in terms of visitor arrivals.

Arrivals to the Maldives from the Swiss market increased by 3.1 percent last year, with a total of 32,651 by the end of December 2017. In the past 10 months of this year, the number of Swiss holidaymakers travelling to the Maldives increased by 0.9 percent to reach 26,025 from 25,803 in the same period of last year.

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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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