Maldives Promotion House – Bandos Islands Resort & Spa, one of the first resorts in Maldives, has received the TEZ WORLDBERRY Award, for the second consecutive year. TEZ WORLDBERRY is a collection of the best performing hotels in the world.

Launched in 1994 TEZ is one of the most popular tour operators based in Russia. The award winning travel agency controls the outbound tourists markets from Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Estonia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Georgia. While TEZ features more than 20 international hotel brands as their partner destinations, they also have one of the most modern fleets for air transport. With effective use of digital media and innovation, TEZ has become the People’s Number One Travel Brand in Russia and the company was also awarded as the top tour operator by Reader’s Digest. TEZ WORLDBERRY is the only award presented in Russia’s Travel Industry.

Bandos Island Resort joined as a TEZ partner hotel in 2008, and according to them since the resort’s partnership with TEZ, their Russian market has increased.

“Until last year, Britain used to be our top market. But now it’s Russia,” Director of Sales and Marketing Thoha Ali said. “Thanks to the partnership with TEZ and our dedicated staff we are among one of the top destinations for Russian tourists.”

Some 63,936 Russian tourists visited Maldives in 2011, which accounts for 6.9 percent of total arrivals. Tourist arrivals from Russia, increased by 30.2 percent in 2011, while January 2012 shows a 18.6 percent increase against the same period last year. Among the guests who stayed in Bandos Island Resort during 2011, 15.96 percent are Russian.