Global destinations developer Assets Group and world-leading nautical brand Azimut Yachts bring together their expertise to integrate bespoke resort stays with the freedom of cruising at sea. Starting in 2026, a dedicated fleet of 18 Azimut yachts and a specialised Azimut Service Centre in Malé will bring this vision to life.

The agreement was formally sealed on Sunday, September 13, aboard Azimut’s new flagship, the Grande 44M, against the stunning backdrop of the Cannes Yachting Festival.

The partnership is rooted in a strong alignment of ethos and ambition: Assets Group, a subsidiary of Power International Holding and a global developer creating destinations defined by experiential depth and environmental harmony, finds a natural counterpart in Azimut Yachts, a brand that has defined the contemporary yachting lifestyle by combining Italian design, innovation and a deep connection with the sea.

Their shared commitment to experience-led design, personalised service and responsible stewardship creates a natural platform for collaboration. Its first landmark expression will take shape in the Maldives beginning in 2026, with a dedicated fleet of 18 Azimut yachts designed to serve Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi and Rosewood Ranfaru Maldives, extending the guest experience beyond the shore and making the journey itself part of the destination.

To support the fleet and ensure a consistently high standard of service, a new Azimut Service Centre in Malé will complement the partnership. Supported by the brand’s Italian team and Azimut Yachts Maldives powered by Elite Yachts—Azimut’s longstanding partner in the Middle East and now the Maldives—the Centre will provide dedicated local support and help ensure seamless operations across the islands.

“This partnership represents a major strategic milestone for Azimut across two key dimensions. First, regarding our business model, which expands into new distribution channels. Second, with respect to our brand positioning: by partnering with leaders in ultra-luxury hospitality, we elevate the ecosystem of yacht-related experiences for a discerning audience, in a highly compelling hub,” states Marco Valle, CEO of Azimut|Benetti Group.

“At Assets Group, we are shaping destinations around the full guest journey, creating experiences that extend far beyond the stay itself. Our investment in 18 Azimut yachts brings that vision onto the water, combining world-class craftsmanship, personalised service and seamless mobility. In doing so, Assets Group will become the operator of the largest private luxury yacht fleet in the Indian Ocean—setting a new benchmark for integrated luxury hospitality and reflecting the ambition with which we are building the future of destination experiences in the Maldives,” states Khaled Zi Alnon, Group Chief Executive Officer of Assets Group.

“The Maldives represent a high-potential market where we already enjoy a solid footprint. Here, we are set to further consolidate our leadership position, also thanks to the opening of a local service centre. It is precisely Azimut’s ability to combine market expansion with an uncompromised standard of service excellence that enables us to scale with long-term stability, while ensuring partner satisfaction at the highest level,” emphasises Enrico Chiaussa, Chief Commercial Officer EMEA APAC of Azimut Yachts.

The fleet and the exceptional natural settings at the heart of this collaboration embody a philosophy in which the luxury of the stay and the freedom of the voyage become one. Azimut’s Magellano Series—with 15 yachts set to join the fleet in the Maldives—pioneered the nautical crossover, capturing the spirit of exploration and the freedom to journey beyond the expected.

This nautical spirit is anchored in Assets Group’s approach to purposeful hospitality. The Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi—a private sanctuary spanning three islands—and Rosewood Ranfaru Maldives—stretched across a striking chain of private islands around a pristine lagoon—reflect a strategy in which exceptional destinations, highly personalised hospitality and respect for the natural environment come together to create enduring experiences.

The collaboration reflects a broader evolution in contemporary luxury—toward a form of exclusivity defined not simply by place, but by access, freedom, personalisation and a deeper connection with nature. Together, Azimut Yachts and Assets Group are bringing this vision to life for a new generation of global travellers seeking meaningful experiences that extend far beyond the stay.

At Gili Lankanfushi Maldives wellbeing is a deeply personal journey. This season, the award-winning eco-luxury resort is enriching that journey with the arrival of two exceptional specialists, each bringing a unique approach to helping guests reconnect with themselves through movement, mindfulness and transformative experiences.

Joining the resort as Resident Tennis Pro, Nikola Vučković offers bespoke tennis lessons tailored to players of all ages and abilities. With more than 15 years of international coaching experience, Nikola combines technical expertise, tactical insight and personalised guidance to help guests build confidence and elevate their game. His distinguished career includes coaching players to success at European Championships, ITF tournaments and national-level competitions. In partnership with Tipsarevic Luxury Tennis, the personalised lessons cater to all skill levels, providing professional instruction and expert guidance to help guests improve their technique, develop their confidence and enhance their overall game. Whether stepping onto the court for the first time or refining advanced skills, guests can enjoy a rewarding and engaging tennis experience in a relaxed island setting.

Complementing the resort’s active lifestyle experiences is Dr Aradhana, a visiting wellness practitioner in residence until the end of September. With more than a decade of experience in holistic wellbeing, she offers a nurturing and personalised approach designed to help guests restore balance between the body, mind and emotions. Through bespoke therapies and immersive wellness sessions, Dr Aradhana creates a supportive space for relaxation, self-discovery and renewal, encouraging guests to reconnect with themselves and cultivate a deeper sense of wellbeing that extends beyond their stay.

Guests can also take part in E-Motion Flow: Moving Body to Release Emotions, a complimentary wellness session led by Aradhana that combines movement and breathwork to support emotional release, inner balance and overall wellbeing.

Together, these experiences reflect Gili Lankanfushi’s belief that luxury travel should nourish both body and soul. Whether discovering the joy of tennis, embracing holistic wellness practices or simply taking time to reconnect with oneself, guests are invited to embark on a journey that is as restorative as it is inspiring.

By bringing together experts from the worlds of sport and wellness, Gili Lankanfushi continues to create meaningful experiences that encourage guests to return home feeling refreshed, empowered and renewed.

JOALI Maldives, the Maldives’ first art-immersive resort, marks a significant new chapter in its long-term commitment to marine conservation as its JOALI Reef Restoration Programme (JRRP) continues to expand across the waters surrounding Muravandhoo Island.

Developed to support the natural recovery and resilience of the island’s surrounding reef ecosystem, the programme has grown over the years to encompass multiple coral nursery systems, artificial reef structures and dedicated outplanting areas. Today, 11,124 coral fragments have been planted across the programme, including 1,500 fragments successfully outplanted onto the house reef.

Led by the resort’s Marine Lab, the programme nurtures small coral fragments through different nursery systems until they develop into healthy, established colonies. Once they reach a suitable size, selected colonies are transferred onto designated areas of the house reef, where their growth and development can continue to be monitored over time.

The programme has also received approval and permit from the relevant Ministry to continue its reef restoration activities, supporting JOALI Maldives’ ongoing efforts to develop and expand its long-term approach to coral conservation.

From coral fragments to thriving colonies

At the heart of the JRRP is a diverse network of coral nurseries and artificial reef structures designed to support different stages of coral growth.

The programme currently encompasses 57 spider frames holding 1,995 coral fragments; Mineral Accretion Technology (MAT) tables with 5,424 fragments; rope nurseries with 2,000 fragments; grid nurseries with 250 fragments; Christmas tree structures with 450 fragments; and the Coral House with 1,500 fragments.

Rope and grid nurseries serve primarily as intermediate growing environments, where smaller coral fragments are nurtured until they reach an appropriate size for outplanting. Spider frames, Christmas tree structures and the Coral House provide stable surfaces where corals can continue to establish themselves and gradually develop into artificial reef habitats.

Together with the 1,500 fragments already outplanted onto the house reef, these initiatives represent 11,124 coral fragments planted across JOALI Maldives’ coral restoration activities to date.

“One of the most meaningful parts of this programme has been watching coral fragments that we planted years ago develop into large, healthy colonies. When we first placed them in the nurseries, they were only small pieces of coral. Today, many have become established parts of the reef, with fish and other marine life returning around them. Seeing that transformation makes all the time and care behind the programme incredibly rewarding,” says Shameem, Senior Marine Biologist at JOALI Maldives.

Restoring the house reef

Outplanting has been an important part of the programme since operations began in November 2022.

Healthy and established coral colonies are carefully transferred from the nurseries to suitable areas of the house reef, where they can continue to grow within the natural reef ecosystem.

A dedicated restoration area around the resort’s Arrival Centre has been established to allow appropriate spacing between colonies while enabling the Marine Lab team to monitor their health, growth and development over time.

To date, 1,500 coral fragments have been outplanted onto the house reef, representing an important step in translating the nursery programme into direct reef restoration.

“Successful reef restoration is not simply about how many corals we plant. What matters is seeing those corals survive, grow and become part of the natural reef ecosystem. When fish and other marine life begin using the restored areas, that is when we can really see the impact of the work,” adds Shameem.

Advancing restoration through Mineral Accretion Technology

Among the programme’s developments is the introduction of Coralive Mineral Accretion Technology (MAT).

The MAT nursery consists of 24 tables arranged in two circles and uses a low-voltage direct current system designed to promote the attachment of calcium carbonate – an important component of coral skeletons – and support coral growth.

Corals remain on the tables for approximately 10 to 12 months, allowing them time to establish and grow before they are considered for outplanting.

Each table can accommodate up to 113 coral fragments, providing the nursery with capacity for approximately 2,712 fragments per cycle. Once mature colonies are transferred to the reef, the tables can be replenished with new coral fragments, creating an ongoing restoration cycle.

Creating new habitats beneath the surface

Alongside its nursery and outplanting activities, the JRRP incorporates a collection of artificial reef structures designed to provide stable environments for coral development.

Spider frames, Christmas tree-shaped structures and the Coral House allow fragments to establish themselves and, over time, contribute to the creation of new underwater habitats.

These initiatives also provide opportunities to connect guests more closely with marine conservation. Through selected experiences, guests can participate in coral planting and learn directly from the Marine Lab team about reef ecosystems, coral restoration and the importance of protecting the marine environment of the Maldives.

The resort’s Christmas Corals tradition, for example, invites guests to add coral fragments to a Christmas tree-shaped frame, bringing together festive creativity and meaningful conservation.

Connecting guests with coral restoration

Alongside its scientific restoration work, the JOALI Maldives Reef Restoration Programme invites guests to become active participants in the conservation journey. Through experiences led by the Marine Lab team, guests can learn about coral ecosystems, take part in coral planting and contribute directly to the long-term restoration of the reef surrounding Muravandhoo Island.

Guests can support the programme through three dedicated experiences. The Private Coral Planting and Adoption experience allows guests to take part in a private planting session and plant their own coral frame. A personalised sign with the guest’s name is added to the frame, and the Marine Lab team shares progress updates every three months for one year.

For guests who would like to contribute without participating in the planting themselves, the Adopt a Coral Frame experience is available. The adopted frame is personalised with the guest’s name, with progress updates shared every three months for one year.

Through Adopt a Coral Table, 24 guests each year also have the opportunity to sponsor one of the programme’s Mineral Accretion Technology tables, directly supporting the nursery system used to enhance coral growth.

Through these experiences, guests are able to follow the journey of coral restoration beyond their stay, creating a meaningful connection with the reef and supporting JOALI Maldives’ wider approach to restoration, monitoring and marine education.

A long-term commitment to the reef

The next chapter of the JOALI Maldives Reef Restoration Programme will focus on increasing nursery capacity, growing healthy coral colonies and progressively outplanting more established corals onto suitable areas of the house reef.

The Marine Lab will continue to monitor coral health and growth, maintain existing nursery and artificial reef structures, and explore further restoration initiatives.

Alongside the scientific and conservation work, education remains an important part of the programme. Through guest engagement and experiences led by the Marine Lab, JOALI Maldives aims to encourage greater awareness of coral reef conservation and the importance of protecting the fragile ecosystems surrounding the Maldivian islands.

As the nurseries continue to mature and established colonies make their way back onto the house reef, the JOALI Reef Restoration Programme reflects a long-term approach to conservation – one built around continuous restoration, monitoring, education and a deeper connection between guests and the natural world surrounding Muravandhoo Island.

“Coral restoration requires patience. Change does not happen overnight, but over the years we have seen how resilient corals can be when they are given the right conditions to recover and grow. My hope is to see these restored areas become healthier and increasingly diverse, while continuing to help our guests understand that corals are living animals and that every one of us has a role to play in protecting them,” says Shameem.