Featured

Maldives sponsors La Liga club Celta Vigo to strengthen sports tourism appeal

Published

7 years ago

October 5, 2019

Maldives has announced plans to sponsor La Liga club Celta Vigo, as part of the destination’s newfound push into sports tourism.

Under the partnership, the official ‘Visit Maldives’ branding will be featured on Celta jersey, stadium, practice kit and boards.

Celta will also provide assistance in developing football in the Maldives. Two Maldivian kids — Aiham Ibrahim and Hussain Aaish from Ghaazee School — have already been chosen to train at Celta Vigo’s academy.

The selection was made based on their performance during the Kids Football Fiesta on October 2 — a football tournament organised as part of the World Tourism Day 2019 celebrations in the Maldives. Former Real Madrid and Spanish defender Míchel Salgado oversaw the selection.

Celta is a Spanish professional football club based in Vigo, Galicia, currently playing in La Liga. It was founded on August 23, 1923 following the merger of Real Vigo Sporting and Real Fortuna Football Club.

Nicknamed Os Celestes (The Sky Blues), they play in sky blue shirts and socks along with white shorts. The club’s home stadium is the Abanca-Balaídos, which seats 29,000 spectators.

Celta have never won the league title nor Copa del Rey, although they have reached the final three times in the latter. One of the team’s best seasons was 1970–71, when they finished unbeaten at home and were known as the “giant-killers”. Celta came sixth that season and qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time.

The club finished in their best-ever position of fourth in 2002–03, qualifying for the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League, where they were eliminated by Arsenal in the Round of 16. In the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League, Celta reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League for the first time, losing to Manchester United.

This partnership with an international football club comes amidst a newfound push by the Maldives into sports tourism.

The island nation’s official tourism promotion body had earlier announced plans to look beyond the Maldives’ longstanding selling points of ‘Sun, Sand and Sea’ and venture into MICE, cultural and sports tourism.

The Maldives has been known as ‘The Sunny Side of Life’ for decades, owing to its monsoon-based climate, as well as the pristine white sand beaches and clear blue waters.

However, with recent changes in tourist demographics and the introduction of more affordable products such as guesthouses, there is a need to diversify the Maldives’ branding.

The government had earlier said cultural tourism would play an important role in developing the Maldives’ tourism industry. However, a concrete step has yet been taken to realise those objectives.

Maldives has welcomed over a million tourists this year, as the destination attempts to reach an ambitious target of 1.5 million visitors over the next three months.

The one millionth visitor of the year arrived in the Maldives on August 2 — a month ahead of last year. In 2018, the one millionth mark was reached on September 9, whilst it was celebrated in October the previous year.

According to official figures, total arrivals for the past seven months of the year increased by 17.2 per cent to reach 994,733 compared to the same period last year.

Maldives welcomed a record 1.4 million tourists in 2018. It was a 6.8 per cent increase from the 1,389,542 tourists that chose to holiday in the Maldives in 2017.

Meanwhile, government has revised its forecast for the number of tourists visiting the island nation this year, increasing the estimate to a record 1.6 million from 1.5 million.

This positive growth in the tourism industry comes amidst concerns by private organisations representing industry stakeholders such as the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) over the lack of effort and budget to promote the Maldives as a destination.

These concerns come as the world-famous holiday destination struggles to match an increased bed capacity.

Over the past few years, dozens of uninhabited islands have been leased to local and foreign resort developers. Several international brands have entered into the market, increasing the number of resorts to more than 130. That number is set to increase as another 20 resorts are expected to open over the next two years.

Along with the new resort openings come the challenge of increasing demand from budget travellers who choose guesthouses over luxury resorts that the Maldives is known for. The guesthouse sector has rapidly expanded with over 500 guesthouses in operation today.

The previous government announced steps to maintain a structured growth in tourism, including a slowdown in leasing islands for resort development and increased marketing efforts in key markets such as China and the Middle East in order to reach an ambitious target of a record 1.5 million tourist arrivals this year.

Meanwhile, the new government has pledged to ramp up tourism promotion.

Reflecting the new government’s pledge, the state budget for 2019 includes MVR 104,200,000 (USD 6.7 million) for tourism promotion, up from MVR 34,733,333 (USD 2.2 million) this year and the previous year.

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Celebration

Sirru Fen Fushi to host Eid al-Adha celebration from 27–29 May

Published

6 hours ago

May 11, 2026

m@ldives

Sirru Fen Fushi – Private Lagoon Resort has announced its “Eid in Harmony” programme for Eid al-Adha, scheduled from 27 to 29 May 2026, offering guests a series of curated experiences centred on dining, cultural elements and leisure activities.

The programme is designed to provide a structured yet relaxed approach to the celebration, with a focus on shared experiences and engagement with the island environment. According to the resort, the initiative aims to bring together cultural traditions and hospitality offerings within a resort setting.

A central feature of the programme will be the Eid al-Adha Feast, a dining experience presenting a selection of dishes prepared for the occasion. The event will be set in a themed environment reflecting elements associated with Eid.

The resort will also introduce an “Eid Gift with Purpose” initiative, positioned as a gesture aligned with the values of giving and reflection associated with the occasion.

In addition, guests will have the option to participate in a Guest Archery Competition, offering a recreational activity designed to complement the island setting and provide an alternative form of engagement during the celebration period.

Alongside the programme, the resort has launched an “Eid Island Escape” offer, which includes a range of inclusions for guests staying during the period. These include a 30-minute jet lag recovery massage, daily breakfast at Raha Market, dinner on a dine-around basis across selected restaurants, and a one-time floating breakfast experience.

In a statement, the resort’s management said the programme is intended to reflect the values of togetherness and reflection associated with Eid al-Adha, while offering guests opportunities to spend time with family and participate in shared experiences.

Through the three-day programme, Sirru Fen Fushi – Private Lagoon Resort is presenting Eid al-Adha as a combination of dining, leisure and cultural activities within a resort environment.

Featured

Reethi Faru Resort awarded Green Globe certification

Published

8 hours ago

May 11, 2026

m@ldives

Reethi Faru Resort has received Green Globe certification, recognising its compliance with international standards for sustainable tourism.

The certification reflects the resort’s stated commitment to responsible hospitality, with a focus on environmental management, social responsibility and operational practices across the property.

Green Globe certification is awarded following an assessment based on established sustainability criteria and verified through independent third-party audits. The standard reviews performance in areas including environmental management, energy efficiency, resource conservation, community engagement and sustainable operations.

With the certification, Reethi Faru Resort joins a group of hospitality operators worldwide that have met Green Globe’s sustainability requirements and demonstrated an ongoing commitment to improvement in tourism practices.

In a statement, the management of Reethi Faru Resort said the recognition reflects the resort’s continued focus on preserving the natural environment of the Maldives while maintaining the guest experience. The management added that sustainability forms part of the resort’s daily operations.

The Green Globe standard includes more than 40 core criteria supported by over 380 compliance indicators, providing a framework for assessing sustainability performance in the hospitality sector.

Featured

InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort marks loyalty week with member and staff recognition

Published

9 hours ago

May 11, 2026

m@ldives

InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort is marking IHG Global Loyalty Week 2026, a group-wide initiative recognising IHG One Rewards members and the employees who contribute to guest experiences across the brand.

The observance will take place from 11 to 17 May 2026 and is aligned with IHG’s wider theme of “bringing loyalty to life”, focusing on guest recognition and service-led engagement.

As the Maldives’ first all-Club InterContinental resort, InterContinental Maldives is using the occasion to highlight its emphasis on personalised service and guest recognition. During the week, the resort will present a series of experiences and gestures intended to acknowledge IHG One Rewards members through tailored hospitality touches.

A central feature of the programme will be “Member Moments”, which are designed to reflect guest preferences, milestones and individual travel experiences. These will include personalised welcome arrangements, selected in-room amenities, culinary offerings and family-focused gestures.

The resort will also use the week to recognise its employees, whose service contributes to guest loyalty and repeat visits. Under its “Inspire Incredible” service culture, InterContinental Maldives will hold staff appreciation activities and internal recognition initiatives during the week.

Commenting on the occasion, General Manager Reinhold Johann said the initiative highlights the importance of making guests feel recognised and welcomed, while also acknowledging the role of employees in delivering those experiences.

Through IHG One Rewards, members have access to benefits and travel privileges across more than 6,800 hotels worldwide. At InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, these benefits are integrated into the resort’s all-Club InterContinental offering, which combines personalised service with resort-based experiences in Raa Atoll.

Through its participation in IHG Global Loyalty Week 2026, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort is positioning guest recognition and service culture as key elements of its hospitality approach.