Business
Visit Maldives hosts fam trips targeting Brazil market
Visit Maldives has commenced a series of familiarisation trips targeting the Brazilian market to promote the Maldives as a safe haven for travellers.
The first two influencers arrived in the Maldives on July 10 and the remaining influencers will arrive in the coming weeks. This is notably the first fam trip and the first activity by Visit Maldives specifically for the Brazilian market, this year.
The infuencers will be hosted by Huvafen Fushi, Velassaru Maldives, Taj Hotels, Kandima Maldives, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, and Movenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives, where they can enjoy experiences such as spa facilities, wellness activities, tasting signature cuisines, snorkelling, water sports, and other exclusive experiences unique to the properties.
During their stay, different properties will host each set of influencers, providing them an opportunity to explore and showcase the exciting experiences offered by each property.
Influencers will share their experiences through their social media accounts contributing to the goal of strengthening our market presence in Brazil.
Activities highlighting the Romantic Side of Life, as well as dive adventures will be carried out to attract the high-end dive travel market of Brazil.
The combination of the fam trips in this series is expected to reach an audience of over three million followers on different social media platforms. It is in line with the Visit Maldives’ strategies to promote the products of the destination and maintain the destination presence for this market.
Other activities in the pipeline for the Brazil market this year such as joint marketing promotions with online tour operators, virtual fairs and digital media campaigns.
Despite the ongoing pandemic, steady growth has been observed from the Brazil market market, ending the year 2020 with 5,494 arrivals ranking as the 24th source market of tourist arrivals.
As of May, 5,558 arrivals were recorded from this market, ranking 16th for the year. For 2021, the Brazil market is a prime focus due to the indicating signs of economic growth, market trends, and the notable increase in popularity of Maldives in the Brazil Market before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The tourism industry of the Maldives has shown remarkable resilience in the face of Covid-19, welcoming a total of 555,494 travellers in 2020 and over over 500,000 tourists so far this year.
The commencement of a nationwide vaccination programme increased flight connections, and the gradual opening of major markets, provide Visit Maldives the opportunity to further promote the destination with global campaigns in association with key stakeholders in the industry.
The administration of the Covid-19 vaccine was initiated on February 1 with the government of Maldives aiming to provide free Covid-19 vaccines to all citizens and residents of the country in the upcoming months.
As of July 3, 317,316 people in the Maldives have received the first dose of the vaccine with 192,321 receiving the second dose.
Over 90 per cent of the workers in the tourism industry of the Maldives have also been administered the first dose of the vaccine with over 70 per cent receiving the second dose. The initiation of the vaccination drive is bound to offer hope to the local population, as well as ensure the safety of tourists.
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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