Business
Maldives Halal Travel represented at 4th annual US Halal Expo, Summit 2021
Maldives Halal Travel has exhibited at the 4th Annual U.S. Halal Expo & Summit 2021 held in Washington DC from October 20th to 21st, 2021 at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott.
The halal industry is a multibillion-dollar industry ripe with potential business opportunities for enterprises that provide halal products and services.
The annual Expo & Summit provides a platform to reach over 20 million consumers in the United States and over a billion consumers worldwide all under one roof.
This is the first time Maldives Halal Travel is being represented in the United States of America with support from Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation.

In addition to exhibiting, Dr Hussain Sunny Umar, Managing Director at Maldives Halal Travel took part in a special panel named “Halal Tourism in the US and around the world”.
He was joined on the panel by Ms Attia Ahmed- Associate Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs at George Washington University.
Dr Sunny spoke about the introduction of Halal Travel in the Maldives as well as the great potential it carries in the future of Maldives. He further noted the importance of the Initial backers of MHT such as Adaaran Resorts, Kihaa Maldives, Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives and LUX* South Ari Atoll and their efforts to grow this niche.
Visitors to the expo were provided with the chance to book halal packages directly at the MHT Booth as well as get the latest information on all things the Maldives.
Visitors are encouraged to visit and drop their business cards to take part in a raffle which could win them a 3-night stay at the newly opened 5-star Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives for 2 persons.
Currently based in Washington, Dr Sunny said: “The Maldives received over 30,000+ tourists from the United States in 2021 already. With a Muslim population of over 6 million, we believe that this is the perfect place to divert our marketing efforts. The U.S.A is just the start, and we intend to launch our marketing efforts in Turkey, Morocco, Canada etc.”

A special token of appreciation was presented to the U.S Halal Expo & Summit organisers- Arabesque Media on behalf of Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation.
Maldives Halal Travel (MHT) and its platform of products were launched at Arabian Travel Market 2021 in Dubai with great support from MMPRC and the Tourism Ministry of Maldives.
Maldives Halal Travel’s portfolio of products includes exclusive halal news, offers, Maldives Halal Travel Magazine (Print & Digital), Muslim Friendly Travel Rating (MFTR), advisory and consultancy, PR and marketing, training, conferences, specialised content creation, visiting designated halal travel fairs & expos as well as hosting Halal Travel Awards.
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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