Business
European airlines face longer haul to recovery

PARIS (Reuters) – A patchwork of national restrictions and a reluctance among travellers to cross borders mean European airlines face a bumpier return to the skies from coronavirus lockdowns than U.S. and Asian rivals.
After almost three months of bleeding cash as air travel was brought to a virtual halt, airlines are returning to service or announcing more flights.
But while U.S. and Chinese domestic markets are starting to recover, the prospects in Europe look shakier.
“In comparison to every other part of the world, it’s lagging,” aviation analyst John Grant said of Europe during a recent presentation by industry data and analytics firm OAG.
Wariness of foreign travel weighs more heavily on European airlines, whose domestic markets are smaller and less profitable than U.S. and Asian rivals’, and more exposed to rail and road competition.
They must also contend with a variety of European restrictions, including Britain’s 14-day quarantine, which has prolonged the slump on contested health grounds.
That contrasts with larger unified markets in Asia and the Americas. In Brazil and India, domestic operations are picking up despite COVID-19 rates still growing faster than Europe’s.
Even shorter European trips put you in “a different country, with a different language and where you don’t know how the health system works,” said Joao Pita, head of airline business at Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos airport. “That’s different from domestic Brazil or domestic China.”
EasyJet (EZJ.L) and Lufthansa-owned (LHAG.DE) Brussels Airlines restarted operations this week as European internal borders reopened. Others including Air France (AIRF.PA), British Airways (ICAG.L) and Wizz Air (WIZZ.L) are increasing frequencies.
“We’re focusing on the performance of the flights and to make sure that we have flights where the Belgians want to fly,” Brussels Airlines CEO Dieter Vranckx said.
The problem is, many Belgians don’t want to fly anywhere much.
Among the 63% of Belgians still planning a 2020 holiday, the new top destination is Belgium, according to a survey reported by travel newsletter Pagtour. Runners-up France and the Netherlands are accessible by road or rail.
Cancelled flights
Despite the pared-down food service and mandatory masks on board, avoiding planes may not be the main concern.
Consumers in France are more interested in flying nine hours to the country’s Caribbean territory of Martinique than in a short hop to Spain or Italy, according to Google search data described to Reuters by an airline sales manager.
“Their thinking goes, ‘At least if I’m in a French overseas territory the government will have some obligation to look after me. I can turn up to a hospital and be served as if I’m in Paris,’” the manager said.
That spells bad news for all but a handful of European departures operated by the likes of Air Caraibes or Air France.
For European carriers forecast to lose $21.5 billion this year, a return to service promises no swift return to profit, with many flights expected to run below two-thirds full. The hope is to burn less cash in the air than on the ground.
The European sector is on course for a negative 14.3% return on invested capital this year, compared with projected deficits of 12.7% for Asia and 10.5% for North America, according to global airline body IATA.
Behind the relaunch publicity, airlines are still making schedule cuts that go deeper in Europe, experts say. Undersold flights are cancelled at least two weeks before departure, when passengers gain compensation rights.
Global schedules for this week have been reduced by 28.5 million seats to 40 million since late May, according to OAG. Western European capacity was slashed from 17.8 million seats to 3.9 million as rebound hopes receded.
“We’re keen to publish capacity because our messaging to the market is that none of us are blinking,” said one executive at a major European airline.
“We don’t want rivals to think they can add more capacity in our key markets,” he added. “Everyone’s playing that game at the moment – then we cancel if we see very poor bookings.”
Competitive pressure on fares may bring more pain as pent-up demand for travel thwarted by lockdowns is exhausted. Ryanair (RYA.I) CEO Michael O’Leary expects a price war, and many analysts agree.
Fares for July-September are down 7% year-on-year from Britain, 8% from France, 10% from Italy and 12% from Germany, according to Airbus-owned (AIR.PA) Skytra, which offers pricing data and risk management to airlines.
“Countries that are further along with the lifting of restrictions actually have the cheaper pricing,” the firm’s strategy chief Matthew Tringham said. “Probably because they’re trying to stimulate demand.”
Reporting and photo: Reuters
Business
2 decades of culinary excellence: BBM’s founding legacy with Hotel Asia continues in 2025

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.
Business
Bestbuy Maldives, MNU forge partnership to advance hospitality education

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.
Business
SATA 2025 announces partnerships; confirms Hotelier Maldives, Maldives Insider as Media Partners

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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