Business
Coca-Cola invigorates football spirit in Maldives for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Season

Rewarding Maldivians for choosing The Coca-Cola Company’s refreshing beverages while getting ready for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Coca-Cola is revealing the winners of an ongoing exciting promotion – one of the activities by Coca-Cola in Maldives to celebrate Maldivians’ love of football.
On October 15, Coca-Cola gathered winners and media to celebrate the success of the ongoing consumer promotion for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 season. With this year’s theme of ‘Believing is Magic’, the Uncap. Believe. Fly. Promotion gives the opportunity for consumers in Maldives to believe that their team will win and stand a chance to go watch a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match live!
Winners of the Uncap. Believe. Fly. Promotion are now being announced live on Television Maldives (TVM) every Saturday. Participants can tune into TVM from 19:45 to 19:55hrs to find out if they are among the daily or weekly winners.
As Coca-Cola announces winners on a weekly basis, fans continue to receive their gifts, with some receiving all-expenses paid trips to watch a FIFA World Cup game live in Qatar, and others winning Al-Rihla FIFA Official Match Balls, gaming consoles together with FIFA ’22 game bundles. Daily winners receive Coca-Cola cases for their ‘At Home Stadiums’.
Till October 31, 2022, any purchase of 500ml, 1.25L and 2L of Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero or Sprite with a Yellow Cap will carry a six-digit code under the cap. Consumers can enter the giveaway by sending the code to 2626, with chances of winning increasing every time they send a code! The packaging label will be different to regular packaging as it will carry a unique label to represent the Coca-Cola and FIFA association.
Throughout the promotion, a total of eight winning couples will be offered the chance to experience a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match live. Consumers also have a chance to win a gaming console or the Official Al Rihla Pro Match Ball weekly. Some can also win Coca-Cola cases to enjoy at their ‘At Home Stadium’ with family and friends.
As the tournament kicks off in Qatar in November, Coca-Cola will continue to give Maldivian football fans the experience of the FIFA World Cup through match screening, exciting consumer activations, and much more! An exclusive Coca-Cola Fan Zone website will also go live soon, enabling fans in the Maldives and around the world to show their love for their favourite team through score predictions and exciting promises to keep. Maldives is known for its passion for football, and at each step of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 season, Coca-Cola will offer football enthusiasts in Maldives the chance to win amazing gifts.
The Coca-Cola Company is one of the longest-standing corporate partners of FIFA, with a formal association beginning in 1974 and an official sponsorship of FIFA World Cup since 1978. Coca-Cola has had stadium advertising at every FIFA World Cup since 1950.
Since 2006, Coca-Cola has exclusively activated the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola – offering millions of people the opportunity to experience the exquisite Trophy and help ramp up anticipation ahead of the tournament. In 2018, the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour had visited Maldives, giving Maldivians the privilege to get this unique experience to get up and close with the FIFA trophy. For this season, FIFA World Cup winners Iker Casillas and Kaká sent the original FIFA World Cup Trophy on a global journey that includes all 32 qualifying countries for the first time. Original FIFA World Cup Trophy was unveiled at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena before it embarks on its fifth journey, travelling to 51 countries and territories.
Business
2 decades of culinary excellence: BBM’s founding legacy with Hotel Asia continues in 2025

Hotel Asia Exhibition and International Culinary Challenge is referred to be the hospitality industry event in the Maldives. In this year’s Culinary Challenge (19 to 22 October 2025) comprising competitions over 20 categories, most will take place at the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Maldives National University, and some at the Synthetic Track, Hulhumalé.

A Founding Partnership that Endures
Since the very first edition in 2001, Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) has played a central role in shaping the International Culinary Challenge into the Maldives’ most prestigious culinary platform. The event has become a cornerstone for professional development, bringing together chefs from across the Maldives to compete, learn, and showcase their craft.

BBM and their associated Principals sponsor an overwhelming majority of categories. “From the beginning, our goal has been to create opportunities for Maldivian chefs to rise to global standards. This partnership has grown with the industry itself,” said A.V.S. Subrahmanyam, Chief Operating Officer of BBM.

Nurturing Local Talent
BBM’s contribution extends beyond sponsorship. The company has built a long-term system for recognizing and developing local culinary talent.
- BBM Chairman’s Trophy for the Best Maldivian Competitor.
- Most Promising Young Chef Award for emerging talent.
- Global exposure programs for Maldivian chefs through sponsored participation in international events.
- Pro-bono Masterclasses with world-renowned chefs to encourage learning and innovation.
Investing in the Future of Hospitality
Through initiatives such as Building Young Talent, BBM continues to mentor aspiring professionals and support the next generation of chefs. The company also promotes inclusivity by sponsoring opportunities for female and young chefs to gain international exposure.
BBM’s industry partnerships include its role as Title Sponsor of the Hotelier Maldives Awards, celebrating excellence across the Maldivian hospitality sector.

Proud Sponsors of Culinary Excellence
In 2025, BBM and its partner brands proudly sponsor 14 competition categories and 8 Main Awards, further strengthening their role in the development of culinary arts in the Maldives. Categories include Decorated Cake, Artistic Showpiece, Bread and Pastry Display, Three Desserts (Display), Desserts, Rice Dish, Asian Noodles, Team Challenge, Maldivian Dish, Creative Sandwich, Young Chef, Tea Challenge, tapas/finger food, and Iced Mocktail.
Business
Bestbuy Maldives, MNU forge partnership to advance hospitality education

The Maldives National University – Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Studies (MNU-FHTS) and Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen industry-academic collaboration and advance hospitality education in the Maldives.
The MoU was signed by Dr Aishath Shehenaz Adam, Vice Chancellor of MNU, and Ismail Hilmy, Chairman and Managing Director of BBM, during a ceremony attended by the university’s Chancellor Dr Mahmood Shaugee, senior management, and representatives from both organisations.
This partnership marks a significant milestone in developing a state-of-the-art Food and Beverage Practical Demonstration Kitchen at MNU-FHTS. BBM will support the upgrading of the existing Garde Manger kitchen and classrooms, contributing financially and materially to create a modern, industry-standard learning environment for future hospitality professionals.
Beyond infrastructure, the collaboration will extend to academic and training support, research and innovation in culinary arts, community engagement, and professional networking opportunities, ensuring that students gain practical, real-world experience aligned with industry expectations.
Highlighting the broader purpose of this partnership, BBM stated that, “This is a significant step in the direction of BBM’s vision involving hospitality industry outreach in the Maldives — because tomorrows start today. Initially, we will set up a world-class model kitchen that will be suitable for masterclasses and hands-on training for students; and also for product demonstrations, masterclasses, and interaction with groups of customers.”
Speaking at the ceremony, representatives from both institutions emphasised their shared vision to promote excellence in education, innovation, and human capital development in the Maldivian hospitality sector. This partnership underscores BBM’s continued commitment to supporting education and industry growth, and MNU-FHTS’s mission to bridge the gap between academia and industry — nurturing the next generation of hospitality leaders in the Maldives.
Business
SATA 2025 announces partnerships; confirms Hotelier Maldives, Maldives Insider as Media Partners

Hotelier Maldives and Maldives Insider have been confirmed as official Media Partners of the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2025. The announcement was made during a signing ceremony held at Hulhulé Island Hotel, Maldives, where SATA unveiled its distinguished partners for the 9th edition of the annual awards.
Now in its ninth year, SATA has become a key platform for recognising excellence in South Asia’s tourism and hospitality sector. The partnership with Hotelier Maldives and Maldives Insider will strengthen the awards’ regional visibility and ensure extensive coverage of the event across Maldives and beyond.

This year’s awards ceremony will take place from 19th to 20th September 2025 at Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Sri Lanka, bringing together industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators from across South Asia.
In addition to the media partnership, SATA 2025 also announced its corporate partners. Honda Marine has been named the Platinum Partner, while The Hawks, Velana International Airport, and Allied Insurance Company of the Maldives join as Gold Partners. Renaatus Realty has been confirmed as the Silver Partner, and Hulhulé Island Hotel continues as the official Hospitality Partner in the Maldives.

Speaking at the ceremony, SATA organisers noted that the strong lineup of partners reflects the growing importance of collaboration within the tourism and hospitality industry. With the support of its partners, SATA 2025 aims not only to celebrate outstanding achievements but also to foster long-term cooperation and sustainable growth in the region’s tourism sector.
The awards are endorsed by leading national tourism bodies and associations across South Asia, including the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Nepal Tourism Board, Visit Maldives Corporation Limited, and several travel and hotel associations across the region.

This year’s evaluation process was conducted by a panel of nine jury members representing different countries, including tourism leaders from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Spain, and the Maldives.
Through partnerships with media outlets such as Hotelier Maldives and Maldives Insider, SATA 2025 will ensure broad engagement across key markets, strengthening its position as one of South Asia’s most prestigious hospitality and travel award platforms.
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