Business
Maldives kicks off three destination marketing campaigns in India

Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) on Monday began two notable campaigns and participated in SATTE GenX virtual exhibition.
The first campaign is with India’s number one wedding network, Wedding Sutra.
WeddingSutra.com is home to one of the largest wedding audiences in India, and passionately engages with brides to be on its platforms, making it the number one wedding brand on Instagram. It has over a million members on Facebook and over 2.5 million total followers on social media.
The six-month long campaign will further heighten significant awareness among the growing market of wedding and honeymoon segments in India.
Maldives will be advertised on their social media accounts, and honeymoon stories that took place in Maldives will be amplified on their channels.
“The aim of this campaign is to market Maldives as one of the most preferred destinations for Indian tourists to travel to post COVID-19, especially for newly married couples and honeymooners. In this regard, the campaign will showcase special aspects of the destination, as well as available benefits in these segments,” MMPRC said, in a statement.

The second is a nationwide radio campaign in India, where Maldives will be promoted in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Cochin via multi leading radio channels in each city.
Running from October 5-16, the radio campaign aims to capture the Indian audience and promote the “Sunny Side of Life” by fostering strong connections with consumers in each city.
MMPRC has provided opportunities for three selected tourist facilities in the Maldives to be promoted during the campaign, which will highlight the available experiences in these properties, as well as throughout Maldives.
“It has an estimated reach of 20.8 to 29.7 million listeners by the end of the campaign which will further enhance the visibility of the destination in greater India,” the statement read.

South Asian Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) GenX is South Asia’s first virtual exhibition on the travel and tourism industry.
MMPRC is taking part in this two-day virtual exhibition, which provides an opportunity to interact and connect with potential buyers from India as a wide range of exhibitors from the Indian tourism industry take part in this exhibition.
Maldives is showcased in a separate virtual pavilion along with 11 industry co-exhibitors.
Additionally, panel discussions and webinars are held during the event.

The so-called air bubble initiative between the Maldives and India which kicked off on August 25 is a first for the region to boost tourism and has enabled a regular path with weekly flights between the two countries.
Flights operated by Air India and Indigo now fly from New Delhi and Bangalore to Maldives, while more are to be confirmed in the near future. This will aid in the much-anticipated increase in tourist arrivals from the Indian market.
In 2019, India ranked as the second highest performing market to the
Maldives. India is a key focus market in the recovery of tourism in Maldives and the target is to achieve pre-pandemic growth levels.
Several marketing activities are being conducted in various key markets such as a global campaign with CNN, integrated webinar sessions in China, campaign with FVW in German speaking markets, and a campaign with Travel weekly targeting the UK market.
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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