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Visit Maldives launches two major marketing activities in China

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Visit Maldives has successfully launched two major marketing activities in China, including the launching of Maldives Online Roadshow and information portal for travel trade on WeChat.

Maldives Online Roadshow is being held from November 30 to December 2.

The roadshow is divided into three sections. The first section is a webinar which was held on November 30. During the webinar, an in-depth presentation of Maldives tourism was given to the travel trade.

“The objective of the webinar is to reassure the participating travel agents that Maldives is a relatively safe destination and a safe haven for their clients to visit, following the re-opening of outbound travel from China,” a statement issued by Visit Maldives read.

The other sections of the roadshow includes an online exhibition, which will be live from November 30 till the end of February 2021, and one-on-one meetings from December 1-2.

Together with 11 tourism industry partners, Visit Maldives has been sharing up to date travel and product information with the top travel agents from China via the online exhibition.

Visit Maldives will be partaking in scheduled one-to-one meetings where emphasis will be given to marketing the safety standards put in place to ensure that Maldives is one of the safest destinations to travel to and that the geographical formation of the island nation further aids in this.

In addition, these meetings will also help to identify strategies to further improve the market performance and strengthen the presence of the destination within the market.

During the roadshow, Visit Maldives is also launching the China Travel Trade information portal. This portal is a mini programme available on WeChat.

WeChat is one of the most popular social media apps in China, which has over 1.2 billion monthly active users and is known to be one of the most important information hubs for Chinese travellers.

WeChat mini programmes are built-in apps within the WeChat ecosystem, connecting Chinese people’s social life from communication to service.

China Travel Trade information portal can be accessed by China travel trade via WeChat without installing any additional application.

The main objective of the portal is to continue the efforts of rebuilding confidence in the destination and to maintain direct communication with the Chinese travel trade by sharing up to date information.

China has been one of the key source markets to Maldives for the past 10 years. A total of 284,029 tourist arrivals were recorded from China to Maldives in 2019.

Prior to the closing of borders due to the Covid-19 pandemic, 31,744 Chinese arrivals were recorded in January which was a 23 per cent growth compared to the same period last year.

Visit Maldives has been continuously running several campaigns throughout the year to reassure Chinese visitors and keep them dreaming of the destination.

The hope is to continue the growth of tourist arrivals from China when outbound travel resumes from the market once again.

The campaigns include several digital campaigns on Weibo and WeChat, Outdoor Campaigns in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, several Media interviews, and joint campaigns with tour operators.

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2 decades of culinary excellence: BBM’s founding legacy with Hotel Asia continues in 2025

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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.

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Bestbuy Maldives, MNU forge partnership to advance hospitality education

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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.

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

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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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