Maldives has won the prestigious title of the ‘World’s Leading Dive Destination’ for the third consecutive year.

At the World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2018 held at the historic Pátio da Galé in Lisbon on December 1, Maldives once again secured the position after fierce competition with top tourist destinations such as Mauritius and Seychelles.

Maldives had won the ‘World’s Leading Dive Destination’ title every year since 2016 and in 2006.

“Maldives had won prestigious positions in various categories over the years. This year’s awards are yet again another tremendous achievement for the Maldives as a tourist destination. In 2017, over 1.3 million tourist arrivals were recorded to Maldives which is an increase of 8%. Maldives Tourism Visitor Survey shows that over 65% of these tourists visit Maldives for its underwater beauty,” Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) said, in a statement.

“Winning these awards will indeed enhance the image of destination and indicates the visitors’ love and confidence towards the Maldives.”

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.