Business
MATI holds AGM, elects executive board
The Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) held its 32nd Annual General Meeting at Kurumba Maldives on Thursday.
A total of 96 members participated in this year’s AGM. This year’s AGM was also attended by the Minister of Tourism Dr Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shauna, and the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation Thoyyib Mohamed who delivered remarks and participated in a Q&A session as well.
The event was also attended by Ismail Hameed, President, National Boating Association of Maldives (NBAM); Abdulla Ibrahim, Vice-President, National Boating Association of Maldives (NBAM); Abdulla Suood, Executive Board Member, Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO); Raaif Shaaz Waleed, Executive Board Member, National Hotels and Guesthouses Association of Maldives (NHGAM); and, Mohamed Yameen, Executive Board Member, National Hotels and Guesthouses Association of Maldives (NHGAM).
The Chairman of MATI, Mohamed Umar Maniku initiated the AGM by delivering the official opening remarks, followed by a statement from the Secretary General of MATI, Ahmed Nazeer.

Ahmed Nazeer oversaw the official proceedings of the AGM. The proceedings included the Passing of Minutes of the 31st AGM and adoption of minutes, a video presentation which highlighted work done by MATI for the year 2021, the presentation of the annual report and Financial Reports for 2021, adoption of the budget for 2022 and the Appointment of Auditors for 2022. Furthermore, the board members for the year 2022-2023 were elected.
In light of this year being the Golden Jubilee of Tourism, MATI also showcased a video detailing the celebratory activities organised by MATI for the year. They included the Chevening / Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) Scholarships partnership, release of 2 coffee table books titled – “Maldivian Resort Architecture 50 years of island resorts” authored by Mauroof Jameel, and “50 years of Tourism in Maldives – the Pioneers, People and Policies that shaped the Industry” authored by Dr Simad Saeed set to be released during the Gala Dinner held on the 40th Anniversary of MATI on the 12th August 2022 and a partnership with Parley Maldives tackling plastic pollution and promoting environmental conservation.
The following were elected to the Executive Board of MATI for the year 2022-2023:
- Mohamed Umar Maniku, Chairman
- Hussain Afeef, Vice-Chairman
- Salah Shihab, Vice-Chairman
- Ahmed Nazeer, Secretary General
- Ahmed Hafeez, Financial Controller
- Asad Ali, Deputy Secretary General
- Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, Executive Board Member
- Ibrahim Siyad Qasim, Executive Board Member
- Ibrahim Noordeen, Executive Board Member
- Iyaz Waheed, Executive Board Member
- Visha Mahir, Executive Board Member
- Ismail Siyan Qasim, Executive Board Member
- Aishath Neena Ahmed, Executive Board Member
- Zulaikha Manik, Executive Board Member
- Mahjoob Shujau, Executive Board Member
- Salil Panigrahi, Executive Board Member
- Rivero Delgado, Executive Board Member
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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