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Visit Maldives concludes WTM London 2021 with 58 industry partners

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Visit Maldives successfully concludes WTM London 2021 with 58 industry partners.

WTM London 2021 was held from 1st to 3rd November.

The World Travel Market London (WTM London) is one of the leading global events for the travel industry to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals.

Through its industry networks and unrivalled global reach, WTM London creates personal and business opportunities, providing customers with quality contacts, content and communities.

This year for the first time in history WTM is being held as a hybrid event and the physical fair is taking place after a year’s break due to the covid-19 situation in the UK.

A total of 102 representatives from 58 companies participated in the event along with Visit Maldives.

The purpose of participating in this event was to connect and network with industry stakeholders, travel trade partners from the UK market and around the globe. Industry partners were expected to meet up to 150 industry stakeholders during the event.

Maldives was exhibited in a 609sqm stand space, one of the biggest stand spaces to be exhibited in recent times. This event assisted Maldives in maintaining the destination presence as one of the safest destinations to travel, due to the unique geographical formation of the islands, allowing natural social distance for travellers.

WTM is also a great platform to market our resorts, hotels, guesthouses and liveaboards, and inform travel trade and travellers of the strict measures in place at these facilities, established to ensure the safety of travellers.

Through the event we informed travel agencies and tour operators of the latest destination information and travel guidelines.

During the event Visit Maldives and industry partners conducted one-on-one meetings in person and virtually. It provided a platform to the stakeholders to promote individual products and properties.

A press conference was also held by Managing Director and CEO of MMPRC, Thoyyib Mohamed, the Minister of Tourism, Dr Abdullah Mausoom and Zuley Manik Executive Director of Sun Siyam Resorts on the second day of WTM.

A special VIP event was held on the last day of the WTM London 2021 which was attended by his excellency, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Visit Maldives also held a Roadshow in the UK to promote MICE opportunities available in the destination after the conclusion of WTM London 2021.

In 2019 WTM was held with over 5,000 exhibitors and reached more than 51,000 visitors. A total of 935,129 business meetings were held during the WTM 2019. 3,000 members of the international media attend the event each year to report on the latest stories relating to the global travel trade industry.

UK is the 8th top source market to the Maldives as per the most recent statistics. So far this year Maldives had welcomed over 1 million tourists to the country, out of which 2.6 percent, or 29,224 were from the UK.

So far this year, we have held media interview, beachcombers destination training, global campaign with Skyscanner, joint marketing campaign with TripAdvisor, Turquoise Holiday, multi media campaign with ABTA Magazine, digital marketing campaign with Expedia, participated in the The National Wedding Show held in the UK.

Upcoming activities for the UK market includes joint marketing campaigns with British Airways, TV advertising and outdoor advertising campaigns.

Visit Maldives continues to hold several activities, including webinars, familiarisation trips, joint marketing campaigns with local and international stakeholders, while also participation in major and minor fairs and exhibitions in order to increase arrivals and maintain destination presence across the globe. These activities are targeted towards top, new and emerging markets as per our strategies.

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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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