Business

Maldives and Middle Eastern tourists: Overview and what’s ahead

Published

2 years ago

May 3, 2023

Dubai, UAE – The number of tourists visiting Maldives from the Middle East have declined over the years. Various stakeholders in the tourism industry have been working hard to revive this market. One such initiative undertaken by Maldives is to participate in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the largest tourism fair in the Middle East, currently underway in Dubai.

Going by what exhibitors at the ATM have said, the reasons for the market decline are many. The main reason is that the Maldives has lost a portion of the market when other countries that had been closed for Covid opened up.

Hasan Falih, director of Naalis Travels & Tours, said the Middle East market has been declining since last year’s low season.

“Other destinations, such as Bali and Thailand, opened up at very competitive prices. For example, the Saudi market is the most important. The Saudis are going to these places more often than here,” he said.

“Guests are very price sensitive now. If this is to be rectified, we have to promote the country in some other way to the Middle East.”

Falih said there are ways to do this and there is a lot of optimism about the market.

‘Should maintain prices’

Ahmed Mauroof, assistant director of sales at Coco Collection, also said tourist arrivals from the Middle East market started declining as other competitive markets opened up.

While other markets opened at lower prices compared to the Maldives, he said the Maldives is still a very different tourist destination.

“However [even if competitors bring down the price], Maldives is a unique destination. It would be better to maintain prices as a destination. More resorts are also coming up. Airports are also completed and it will be better if the supply increases,” he said.

“If you look at the market in the Middle East separately, the Maldives already has new opportunities for tourists in the region. Flights from the Middle East are also increasing. Earlier, we used to have national carriers like Qatar, Emirates and Gulf Air. Now, Saudi’s budget airline is also starting. Wizz Air has begun too.”

According to official figures, Saudi Arabia brought the highest number of tourists from a single country. However, between January and March, the number of tourists arriving from the country dropped by 41% compared to the same period last year.

In contrast, there has been a significant increase in the number of tourists coming in from Kuwait.

Middle East Top 5 markets (January-March 2023):

Southee – 6,000
Kuwait – 3,308
UAE – 1,950
Egypt – 1,266
Qatar – 1,221

‘Expanding marketing; providing tourists with more options’

Another exhibitor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Middle Eastern tourists are increasingly visiting destinations in Eruope.

“Saudi travel agencies, for example, are now promoting European destinations. The flights are cheaper and the journey is short,” he said.

“They can spend two weeks at these destinations by paying that same amount they spend four nights in the Maldives.”

When asked what the solution is, he said that more than anything else, the Maldives should be expanding marketing activities.

“It’s not just about attending fairs. Even if we participate in familisation trips and fairs, we don’t get such big events. We need to increase marketing activities and attract tourists to the country,” he said.

Another point he made was that some resorts in the Maldives did not meet the requirements of Middle Eastern tourists.

“These people want rooms with a pool, floating breakfasts, sheesha and privacy,” he said.

“Privacy is not be available in some resorts. The rooms are much closer to each other.”

Muslim Hilmy, vice-chairman of Brennia Kottefaru Resort, said that Dubai and Maldives were among the first tourist destinations to open after Covid, but now that other countries are open, there are different ways and places for tourists.

In order to expand the Middle Eastern market, Hilmy also said marketing activities need to be carried out more vigorously. We also need to look for new markets, he said.

“The number of resorts and beds are on the rise. You have to market it at par. We also need to find new markets,” he said.

“For example, if you look at the Russian market, other destinations are also trying to attract Russian market. If you don’t give push to the Russian market, or you can’t do [enough] to market the country there, then there’s a fear of market decline. It’s been two months or three months since China opened up. But we still can’t get close to what the China market was before the pandemic in the country.”

Noting that the Maldives is a popular destination, he said tourists always come to the Maldives during the winter season. The markets available for the summer season are in the Middle East, China, India and East Asia.

“If the country is strongly advertised in these places, we will be able to keep the market from going down even during the summer season,” he said.

One of the most expensive markets: MMPRC

Managing Director of MMPRC Thoyyib Mohamed said the company is trying to promote the Maldives in more than 15 markets.

“Compared to other major top 10 destinations, the cost of marketing and promotion here is very high. That’s because in terms of cost, campaigns are expensive,” he said.

Here are some of MMPRC’s efforts to promote Maldives in this market:

Hosting road shows
Campaigns with large tour operators and airlines (e.g., Qatar Airways and Emirates)
Outdoor campaigns such as installing billboards
Social media campaigns in association with groups

“This is one market we need to concentrate on. However, this market is very different. Even if there are few people coming in, the return is enough for our industry in terms of finances,” Thoyyib said.

On the first day of the ATM fair, MMPRC also met with a Saudi team regarding the promotion of the Maldives.

“They also want to join hands with us for campaigns. There is a benefit [for them] with it as well. They also want to handle more Umra groups. Similar discussions were held today,” Thoyyib said.

“After the Saudi meeting, we understood something valuable. God willing, we will try to carry out more activities for the rest of the year.”

Budget constraints

MMPRC has always been concerned about the fact that they are allocated less than an adequate budget to promote the Maldives as a tourist destination. Thoyyib reiterated the same concern.

“The budget is not enough. However, we are trying to see if we can make do with what we have received. If more work is to be done, the current budget is not enough,” Thoyyib said.

“Especially in the last two years, for example, from participating in fairs like these, the cost of building this place [pavilion] has increased by about 10% at least. That’s why we have to spend a lot on these kinds of physical activities. No matter how costly the event is, we are always doing it as a service as this is the platform for the people of the industry.”

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2 decades of culinary excellence: BBM’s founding legacy with Hotel Asia continues in 2025

Published

1 day ago

October 19, 2025

m@ldives

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

Published

1 day ago

October 19, 2025

m@ldives

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

Published

2 months ago

August 21, 2025

m@ldives

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.