Business
Visit Maldives promotes ‘Romantic Side of Life’ in South Korea
Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation’s (MMPRC/Visit Maldives) is marketing “Visit Maldives… the Romantic Side of Life” through a joint campaign with two South Korean travel agencies – Palm Tour and Honeymoon Resort.
Under this campaign, online and offline activities will be held for three months to promote the Maldives as one of the safest and most alluring honeymoon and romantic destinations.
Headquartered in Seoul, Palm Tour is one of the top honeymoon agencies for overseas travel in South Korea with over 15 branches nationwide. The award winning agency offers a wide range of Maldives products with various flight and resort options. In 2019, Palm Tour sold 11,000 room nights to Maldives.
Honeymoon Resort is also one of the biggest honeymoon travel agencies in Korea with a Business history of over 20 years sending over 400,000 honeymooners. They have over 10 years of experience with various Maldives honeymoon products with the specialisation of resorts and its distance to travel on domestic flight, speedboat or seaplane.
Under the online components of this campaign, Palm Tours and Honeymoon Resort will develop exclusive Maldives promotion pages; place banners in their websites with the destinations advertisements; advertising content on websites and social media pages of both companies; and paid adverts on Naver, Google and Youtube.
The offline segment of the campaign will see Maldivian products showcased in fairs, providing latest destination information including visa requirements and guidelines. It will also include advertisement banners in different pertinent locations, lucky draws, raffle giveaways and advertisements to attract attention to the destination from honeymooners and newly-married couples.

This campaign is held in line with MMPRC’s strategy to maintain the destination presence in the South Korean market and to efficiently promote various products, experiences and segments of tourism to increase future bookings and arrivals from South Korea.
In 2021, a total of 1,312,706 tourists arrived in the Maldives from which 6839 were from South Korea. As of 15th May 2022, the Maldives has welcomed 7,191 tourists from this market this year. Prior to COVID-19, South Korea was the third largest outbound tourism source market in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region in 2019, with 28.7 million international departures.
MMPRC organised and participated in various activities targeting the South Korean market in 2021 including the Naver Live Campaign with Singapore Airlines, Honeymoon Fair with Palm Tour, and Print Media Advertising Campaigns with Noblesse and Trevie. Similar webinars for South Korea travel trade were also held in 2021, along with outdoor advertising campaigns and South Korea Virtual Roadshow. Ongoing activities for this market include SMM and Digital Ad Campaign. Many activities such as familiarisation trips, joint promotions with airlines, and print media advertising campaigns are in the pipeline for this market for this year.
As the company responsible for marketing the Maldives as a destination abroad, MMPRC carried out 260 different marketing activities in 22 global markets last year, including fairs, roadshows, familiarisation trips, marketing campaigns, webinars, and interviews. The greatest testament to the success of these activities came late last year, as the Maldives secured the title of ‘World’s Leading Destination’ (among several other accolades) at the 2021 World Travel Awards, globally recognised as the hallmark of industry excellence. This is the second consecutive year that the Maldives had successfully earned this prestigious title, a shining testimony of the trust placed in the ‘magic of Maldivian hospitality’ by travellers from all over the globe.
This year also celebrates an exceptional year to visit the Maldives – the Golden Jubilee celebration of tourism in the Maldives kicked off earlier last year with plans to conduct new and exciting activities throughout the year. MMPRC has planned over 60 in-person events for the year 2022, including 11 fairs, roadshows and events scheduled for just the first quarter.
Business
BBM renews as Title Partner of Hotelier Maldives Awards under multi-year agreement
Hotelier Maldives has announced Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) as the Title Partner of Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 under a multi-year agreement, reaffirming one of the longest-standing partnerships behind the publication’s flagship hospitality recognition platform.
The 2026 edition marks the third consecutive year that BBM has served as Title Partner of Hotelier Maldives Awards, having supported the event in the same capacity since its launch in 2024. BBM has also backed Hotelier Maldives’ second flagship event, GM Forum, every year since 2023, with 2026 set to mark its fourth year as a Silver Partner of the forum.
The continued partnership reflects a shared commitment to recognising the people behind the Maldives’ tourism industry while supporting platforms that encourage industry dialogue, leadership and professional development.
Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 entered its public voting phase on 15 March 2026, with voting set to remain open for one month. Winners will be announced at the gala ceremony on 26 April 2026 at NIVA Kurumba Maldives.
Commenting on the partnership, Ali Naafiz, Editor of Hotelier Maldives, said: “BBM has been a valued partner of Hotelier Maldives Awards since the very beginning, and we are pleased to formalise this continued support through a multi-year agreement. Their decision to return as Title Partner for a third consecutive year reflects not only the strength of our relationship, but also a shared belief in the importance of recognising the people who drive excellence across the Maldives’ hospitality industry.
“BBM has also consistently supported GM Forum over the years, making them one of the most committed partners across our event platforms. We are proud to continue working together as we strengthen both Hotelier Maldives Awards and GM Forum as annual fixtures for the industry.”
AVS Subrahmanyam, Chief Operating Officer of BBM, said: “At BBM, we have always believed that a strong hospitality industry is built by strong people, and Hotelier Maldives Awards provides an important national platform to recognise the professionals whose work often takes place behind the scenes. We are pleased to continue as Title Partner of the awards under this multi-year agreement, while also extending our support to GM Forum for a fourth consecutive year.
“As a company that has grown alongside the Maldives’ hospitality sector, we value opportunities that celebrate talent, encourage professional pride and contribute to the long-term development of the industry. Our continued partnership with Hotelier Maldives reflects that commitment.”
Bestbuy Maldives is one of the country’s leading importers and distributors, serving the hospitality, HORECA and retail sectors with a broad portfolio of international brands. The company positions itself as a partner to the Maldivian hospitality industry, supplying products from around the world across key business verticals including resorts, foodservice and retail.
Hotelier Maldives Awards continues to recognise the contributions of resort-based hospitality professionals across the Maldives, highlighting both individual excellence and team performance. The awards programme remains the country’s only dedicated recognition platform focused on professionals working in resort operations. The current public voting round allows industry stakeholders, colleagues, guests and the wider public to take part in selecting this year’s winners.
The growing list of confirmed partners for Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 includes Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) as Title Partner, Dhiraagu as Platinum Partner, Storm Events as Organising Partner, NIVA, Kurumba Maldives as Host Partner, Souvenir Marine as Transport Partner, ALIA as Associate Sponsor, and Lightsout Studios as Associate Partner. More partners and sponsors will be announced soon.
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.
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