Business
Maldives launches campaign with Travel + Leisure targeting SEA market
Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC / Visit Maldives) has launched a campaign with Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia to increase brand visibility for the Maldives in the SEA market. The campaign, which began in July 2022, will be conducted till the start of 2023.
Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia was launched in 2007. Their winning combination of wanderlust-inducing and fact-driven content drives high audience engagement from countries such as Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Through this campaign, the different segments of Maldivian tourism industry, its products (resorts, hotels, guesthouses and liveaboards), and unique experiences will be promoted to the travel trade and potential travellers from the SEA market. Furthermore, the unique geographical characteristics of the islands, the one-island-one resort concept, and the latest travel information and guidelines will be shared through advertisements and banners on the website and social media of Travel + Leisure, along with e-mailers sent to their database.
This campaign is conducted as part of MMPRC’s marketing strategy for the SEA market, which is based on maintaining and increasing visibility and brand awareness for Maldives, and showcasing the uniqueness of Maldives as the world’s leading destination. This strategy targets to promote services offered for luxury travellers, families and Muslim travellers from this market. The purpose of the strategy is to raise arrival numbers to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year and to reorient the perception of the Maldives solely as a honeymoon or luxury destination.
The Maldives welcomed 18,489 from countries from the SEA market from January to July 2022. As the company responsible for marketing the destination globally, MMPRC has been holding several activities for this market, including joint campaigns with tourism sector stakeholders, organising familiarisation trips, training webinars, and participating in fairs and exhibitions held for this market. In this regard, we have carried out a cabvertising campaign with MyBump Media, participated in MATTA fair 2022, Malaysia International Dive Expo, and Thailand Dive Expo. More activities are in the pipeline for this market for the rest of the year too.
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.
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.
-
News1 week agoRefined overwater vision: Velaa Private Island’s upgraded Ocean Pool House
-
Cooking1 week agoA spring of flavours: Nowruz dining series at JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa
-
News7 days agoPulse Hotels & Resorts unveils Aura Maldives, a mindful luxury sanctuary
-
News1 week agoSun Siyam Iru Fushi sets new nenchmark with 24 Hour Premium All Inclusive Dine Around
-
Fitness1 week agoOUTRIGGER Maldives Maafushivaru launches expanded wellness programming for 2026
-
Featured1 week agoYou & Me Maldives unveils curated Premium All Inclusive programme
-
Action1 week agoSheraton Maldives Full Moon celebrates sixth anniversary of Reefscapers collaboration
-
Awards6 days agoCentara Mirage Lagoon Maldives named Luxury Family Friendly Resort of the Year


