Business
Marriott International launches LIVE FULLY activation in collaboration with Maldives National University
Marriott International Maldives in collaboration with Maldives National University recently launched an activation to become employer of choice in Maldives – LIVE FULLY.
The objective of this collaboration is to nurture and create the future talent pipeline for Leadership roles within Marriott International Maldives focused on the local talents. The key aim of this event was to highlight growth opportunities and career adventure for the young minds within Marriott International. It aimed to inspire students to reflect on their career journeys, what it means to live fully with Marriott International, and how to take the next step in growing their career to who they want to become within the company.
Live Fully is an external-facing extension of Marriott’s TakeCare Culture, showcasing the different TakeCare Pillars – (Opportunity, Community and Purpose) and how they come to life at Marriott International. Whether an individual is seeking to grow with new opportunities, work beside teammates that feel like family, or make a difference, TakeCare culture helps the associates to live life to its fullest.
Emma Jones, was aspirational about Marriott Culture and the growth opportunities it has for the young and creative students of MNU. She did mention that the company provides a world of opportunities and helps each associate to grow and develop professionally and personally by developing meaningful and supportive relationships at workplace. The theme of this activation showcases Marriott International’s commitment towards its associate growth and how it invests in associates to allow them to Live Fully, and Grow Forward.
The event began with a panel discussion between the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism studies, Maldives National University led by MZeenath Solih and Marriott International representatives. The idea was to seek common collaborative grounds to attract, train and retain the local talent graduating from MNU. Marriott International representatives were positive about this collaboration considering the growth of their resorts in Maldives.
The next was an interactive and engaging session between the students and Marriott International team. Around 50 students from MNU participated in this event. The focus was on presenting the amazing growth opportunities to the students offered by the seven resorts.
The event focused on Marriotternship – Hotel Internship Programme offered by Marriott International to the students. It is a highly structured and planned program spanned over a period of 06 months, providing on job exposure in all Operations and Support departments and presenting an opportunity to work and learn alongside the hospitality experts in Maldives.
The next segment was about Voyage – Global Leadership Development Programme spanned over a period of 18 months to help create the future leaders. Voyage helps build on the current strengths of high potential students providing them continuous guidance and learning opportunities thereby creating a Talent pool of future Supervisory and Mid Management level leaders. Currently this programme is offered by The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands and Le Méridien Maldives Resort and Spa. In the coming years, all resorts look forward to host the Voyage Programme. All seven resorts also provided direct hiring opportunities for the students present for the event.
Along with the growth opportunities, the discussion was focused on Marriott’s Take Care culture and the various benefits of personal growth Marriott International has to offer, highlighting how the company places an importance on associate growth, and that there are structured trainings to help them become who they want to be.
Marriott International representatives truly wish to keep this momentum alive and collaborate on many such development opportunities with Maldives National University.
To begin your Marriott Adventure today, login to: Marriott.com/Careers OR MarriottU.com
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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