Awards
Maldives again named World’s Leading Destination
The Maldives has once again secured its position as a global tourism leader after being named World’s Leading Destination 2025 for the sixth consecutive year and World’s Leading Green Destination 2025 for the second consecutive year at the World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony, held at Exhibition World Bahrain.
The World Travel Awards, established in 1993, are recognised worldwide as the highest honour in the global travel and tourism industry. The awards celebrate excellence across all sectors of travel and tourism and are determined through international voting from industry professionals and the public.
Winning the title of World’s Leading Destination for six years in a row marks a historic achievement for the Maldives, reflecting the destination’s long-term consistency, strong brand presence, and sustained global appeal. The Maldives’ second consecutive win as World’s Leading Green Destination highlights its ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainable tourism development, and the protection of its fragile marine ecosystems.
These recognitions come during a year of record-breaking performance for the Maldives. Visitor arrivals reached the two million milestone earlier than any previous year, and the destination is firmly on track to achieve the national target of 2.3 million arrivals by the end of 2025. Strong market performance has been supported by strategic global campaigns, high-impact partnerships, expanded trade engagements, and improved destination visibility across key markets.
Throughout 2025, Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) delivered a series of coordinated global initiatives that strengthened the Maldives’ leadership position. These included major ambassador programmes, large-scale digital campaigns, targeted roadshows, co-branded partnerships, and the launch of the 2026 “Ocean Nation” theme. The Maldives also increased its presence at international trade fairs and executed successful collaborative marketing efforts with industry partners across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America.
In addition to the two world titles, the Maldives received three regional honours at this year’s awards:
- Indian Ocean’s Best MICE Destination 2025: Maldives
- Indian Ocean’s Best Incentive Destination 2025: Malé
- Indian Ocean’s Best Tourism Authority Website 2025: VisitMaldives.com
These regional recognitions reflect the Maldives’ expanding tourism portfolio, which now includes MICE travel, incentive markets, urban tourism, and digitally enhanced visitor engagement.
The Maldives’ success at the World Travel Awards is a result of the collective efforts of the tourism industry, local communities, government stakeholders, and the global travel trade. The awards reinforce the Maldives’ position as a leading premium destination and affirm the effectiveness of continuous, year-round destination promotion carried out by VMC and its partners.
Awards
Atmosphere Core earns triple honours at Layalina Editor’s Choice Awards
Atmosphere Core concluded 2025 with a strong industry showing, securing three major honours at the Layalina Editor’s Choice Awards 2025 for RAAYA by Atmosphere, Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives and OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi. The accolades underscore the group’s ability to deliver clearly differentiated resort concepts for diverse traveller profiles, while maintaining a consistent emphasis on quality, comfort and guest satisfaction across its portfolio.
At the awards, RAAYA by Atmosphere was named Best New Luxury Resort of the Year – Maldives. Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives received the title of Best All-Inclusive Luxury Resort, while OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi was recognised as Most Stylish Resort – Maldives. The honours are based on Layalina’s independent editorial assessment and established quality benchmarks, celebrating excellence across luxury hospitality, all-inclusive offerings and lifestyle-led design. Layalina is a leading Arab lifestyle publication under 7awi Media Group, with a strong readership and influence across the GCC and wider region.
Collectively, the awards highlight Atmosphere Core’s understanding of evolving travel expectations, delivering experiences that are thoughtful, well-crafted and easy to enjoy, whether guests are seeking tranquillity, variety or social energy.
Each of the recognised resorts brings a distinct identity to the group’s Maldivian portfolio. RAAYA by Atmosphere, located in the Raa Atoll, is defined by its serene environment and castaway-artist concept, encouraging guests to slow down and reconnect through nature, creativity and adventure. Atmosphere Kanifushi continues to stand out for its scale and consistency, offering a generous all-inclusive experience through the Kanifushi Plan™, expansive villas and a long, natural island setting that appeals to both families and couples. In contrast, OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi delivers a more dynamic island escape, characterised by contemporary design and a lively social atmosphere that resonates with travellers drawn to shared spaces, movement and modern aesthetics. Together, the accolades reflect a carefully curated portfolio designed to cater to a wide spectrum of travel moods and preferences.
Commenting on the achievement, Ashwin Handa, Chief Operating Officer of Atmosphere Core, said the group was honoured to receive the Layalina Editor’s Choice Awards 2025, recognising the three resorts across distinct categories. He noted that the recognition reflects the company’s carefully curated experiences, shaped by a strong sense of product, space and genuine care, and credited the passion and commitment of the teams, as well as the continued trust of guests, for the achievement.
Central to these successes is Atmosphere Core’s philosophy of the Joy of Giving, which positions hospitality around care, generosity and attention to detail. This approach informs destinations that feel closely connected to their natural surroundings and supports bespoke experiences that anticipate guest needs. The result, the group says, is a style of hospitality that is welcoming, effortless and personal, creating meaningful moments that endure beyond the stay itself.
Awards
Fuvahmulah receives Tiger Shark Dive Award at DRT Expo KL
Fuvahmulah City Council participated in the Malaysia edition of the Diving, Resort & Travel (DRT) Expo held in Kuala Lumpur, promoting Fuvahmulah as a tourism and dive destination to international audiences.
The council took part in the expo through Discover Fuvahmulah, the official destination brand of Fuvahmulah City Council, which leads efforts to market the island to travellers and the global dive community. During the event, Fuvahmulah was recognised with the Tiger Shark Dive Award, highlighting the island’s global reputation for year-round tiger shark diving.
DRT Expo is one of Asia’s established dive and travel exhibitions, bringing together dive operators, tourism boards, resorts and travellers from across the region. The Kuala Lumpur edition attracts a large number of dive enthusiasts, travel professionals and specialised tourism operators, providing a platform for destinations to engage directly with key markets.

Through Discover Fuvahmulah, the City Council promotes the island as a distinct tourism destination via its official website, social media platforms and participation in international dive fairs. The branding focuses on Fuvahmulah’s unique positioning as a single-island destination, its marine biodiversity, and its growing appeal for niche tourism segments, particularly diving.
Fuvahmulah has gained international recognition in recent years for its consistent tiger shark encounters, which take place close to shore and throughout the year. The award received at DRT Expo KL reflects the destination’s standing within the global diving community and its continued efforts to strengthen visibility in international markets.
Awards
Kuramathi Maldives earns HolidayCheck Gold Award for consistent guest satisfaction
Kuramathi Maldives has once again cemented its status as one of the Maldives’ leading holiday destinations by earning the coveted HolidayCheck Gold Award 2026. This prestigious accolade recognises the resort’s enduring popularity and consistent excellence in hospitality, marking it as a top choice for travellers across the globe.
The HolidayCheck Gold Award is an exclusive honour reserved for hotels that have demonstrated remarkable consistency in guest satisfaction. To qualify for this distinction, a property must have received a HolidayCheck Award at least five times since 2019. This rigorous criterion ensures that only establishments delivering sustained high-quality experiences over several years are recognised.
Reflecting on this milestone award, General Manager Bertrand Margerie expressed immense pride: “We are thrilled to be recognised with the HolidayCheck Gold Award 2026. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and passion of our entire team, who strive every day to provide exceptional service. Knowing that this award comes directly from the positive feedback of our guests makes it even more meaningful, and we look forward to continuing to deliver world-class Maldivian hospitality.”
Located in the North Ari Atoll, Kuramathi stretches across 1.8 kilometres of lush, tropical beauty. This idyllic sanctuary, with its vibrant coral house reef that gently unfurls into a shimmering sandbank, is a perfect symbol of natural beauty. From its pristine beaches and lush vegetation to its diverse dining options and heartfelt service, Kuramathi continues to set the benchmark for Maldivian hospitality. The Gold Award serves as a testament to the thousands of positive reviews and recommendations shared by satisfied guests who have experienced the magic of the island firsthand.
Travellers seeking an award-winning escape are invited to discover why Kuramathi remains a perennial favourite. Whether looking for a romantic retreat, a family adventure, or a diving getaway, the resort offers an exceptional environment that consistently exceeds expectations.
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