Business
Maldives Marine Expo 2019 begins
Fifth edition of Maldives Marine Expo, the official exhibition of the country’s liveaboard industry, began on Wednesday.
During a ceremony held Wednesday afternoon at the expo grounds, economic minister Fayyaz Ismail inaugurated expo.
“After 12 years, the Liveaboard Association has received national status and changed to National Boating Association of Maldives. We, the government, will hear and consider the voice of the organisation when making decisions regarding the development of tourism and marine industry,” the minister said.
“Approximately, 300 vessels are operating in the Maldives including safari boats, diving dhonis and fishing vessels. Almost 8,000 locals are employed on these vessels. In a very near future, a harbour will be built that is safe and closer to both Hulhule and Male.”

Top officials from the National Boating Association of Maldives and representatives from the marine industry attended the ceremony.
“This event has expanded over the years, especially this year. An event like this has always been a challenge. We appreciate the support from the event manager and industry,” Ismail Hameed Vice President of the National Boating Association of Maldives, said, in his opening remarks.
“This is the longest running event in the marine industry and the purpose of an event such as this is to bring the industry together on one platform and share their products with other businesses and state-of-the-art options available in the market.”

Held from Wednesday to Friday at the main convention centre of Dharubaaruge and the Fishermen’s Park in capital Male, the Maldives Marine Expo 2019 features 30 exhibitors occupying 52 stalls.
With the theme of marine technology, the fifth edition of the expo aims to explore new developments with the help of experts and specialists in the field. Technological developments that would improve maritime operations are being showcased during this expo.

This year’s expo also features a ‘Water Display Area’ at the Fishermen’s Park in capital Male, where exhibitors are showcasing their vessels.
Gulf Craft serves as the main sponsor of the Maldives Marine Expo 2019, whilst Al-Shaali Marine has been appointed as a co-sponsor. Other partners include:
- Dhiraagu: Digital Service Partner
- Event Maldives: Sound & Lights Partner
- Mihaaru: Media Partner
- Floating Asia: Magazine Partner
- Design Gallery: Production Partner
- Eliyz: Photography Partner
- Crowe Maldives LLP: Audit Partner
- Absolute Security & Advance Protection: Security Partner
- Habitat Pvt Ltd: Flooring Partner
- The Civil Coffee Society: Specialty Coffee Partner
- Print Lab: Printing Partner
- Loopcraft: Creative Partner
- Aqua Vita Residencies: Real Estate Partner
- Virtual Technologies LLP: Technology Partner
- Sunfront Pvt Ltd: Furnishing Partner
- Toddy Inc.: Apparels partner
Organised by Blak, the Maldives Marine Expo is an international platform that presents a diverse range of exhibitors that contribute to the marine industry.
Over the past five years, the Maldives Marine Expo has served as a link between manufacturers, suppliers and service providers, and has facilitated connections between large corporations and stand-alone businesses. The expo, held as the official exhibition of the National Boating Association of Maldives, continues to introduce newcomers and innovative technologies to the market.
The National Boating Association of Maldives, formerly known as Liveaboard Association of Maldives (LAM), is the official representative body for the Maldives’ liveaboard industry.
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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