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
Reethi Faru Resort recognised in four categories at 2026 Haute Grandeur Awards
Reethi Faru Resort has been recognised at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, receiving honours in four categories: Best Beach Villa in Indian Ocean, Best Pool Villa in Indian Ocean, Best Eco-Friendly Resort in Maldives, and Best Sustainable Hotel in Maldives.
The awards recognise performance across villa accommodation and environmentally focused hospitality, reflecting the resort’s emphasis on guest experience alongside sustainability and environmental stewardship.
According to the resort, the recognition supports its positioning within the Maldives market as a property that combines natural surroundings, accommodation standards and responsible hospitality practices.
Located on Filaidhoo in Raa Atoll, Reethi Faru Resort features 145 villas, including beachfront and overwater accommodation designed in a style that combines Maldivian elements with contemporary comfort.
The resort’s food and beverage offering includes six restaurants and six bars, while its leisure facilities cover watersports, diving, yoga, spa treatments and fitness activities. Surrounded by coral reefs, the resort also offers guests access to marine-based experiences in the Indian Ocean.
Sustainability remains a central part of the resort’s operations, with initiatives that include coral reef restoration and guest experiences linked to environmental awareness.
Through its recognition at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, Reethi Faru Resort has added to its profile as a Maldives resort with a focus on both accommodation standards and sustainability.
Awards
Grand Park Kodhipparu retains Green Globe Certification for seventh year
Grand Park Kodhipparu, Maldives has received its seventh consecutive Green Globe Certification, attaining Gold Member status for the third time and continuing its sustainability programme across island operations.
The resort’s sustainability model is guided by the philosophy of “From Reef to Roof”, linking marine conservation with operational management to support both environmental protection and long-term guest experience.
A central part of this approach is the resort’s house reef, which supports corals, turtles and other marine life. Conservation work led by the resort’s Resident Marine Biologist includes coral restoration, reef clean-ups and guided snorkelling experiences aimed at helping guests engage more closely with the marine environment.
Sustainability measures are also integrated across the resort’s wider operations. These include renewable energy initiatives such as solar power, which help reduce dependence on diesel-generated electricity. The resort also operates an on-site desalination system that converts seawater into drinking water, alongside its own water bottling plant.
According to the resort, this has enabled the complete removal of single-use plastic water bottles since 2020, marking a step in its waste reduction efforts.
Waste management is also structured around reducing, reusing and recycling materials where possible, with composting systems in place to reduce food waste and support day-to-day operations.
Like other island resorts in the Maldives, Grand Park Kodhipparu operates independently of mainland infrastructure, producing its own energy and water while managing waste on site. The resort says this model supports both lower environmental impact and greater operational resilience.
While Green Globe Certification provides international recognition of sustainability performance, the resort describes the certification as part of an ongoing process rather than a fixed milestone. Sustainability, it says, is embedded in operations, guest experiences and long-term planning.
Raffaele Solferino, General Manager of Grand Park Kodhipparu, Maldives, said the certification reflected the resort’s long-term direction. “From the very beginning, our vision was to create a resort that works in harmony with its environment. Achieving Green Globe Gold status for the seventh consecutive year reflects the consistency of that approach,” he said.
“‘From Reef to Roof’ connects everything we do — from protecting our marine life to how we generate energy and manage resources. It is a responsibility we take seriously, for both our environment and our guests.”
Quoting environmentalist Robert Swan, he added: “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. That idea resonates strongly with us — we believe it is our responsibility to act, here on our island, every day.”
The resort is also promoting a “Pay 4, Stay 6” package, aimed at encouraging longer stays and allowing guests more time to experience the property’s reef, wellness and nature-based activities.
Located around 20 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Grand Park Kodhipparu continues to position itself as a luxury resort with a focus on environmental responsibility and island-based guest experiences.
Awards
Atmosphere Core secures British Airways Holidays awards across five Maldives resorts
Atmosphere Core has announced that five of their resorts in the Maldives; VARU by Atmosphere, Atmosphere Kanifushi, OBLU SELECT Sangeli, OBLU SELECT Lobigili, and OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO, have been recognised with the prestigious British Airways Holidays Customer Excellence Award 2025.
This accolade reflects consistently high guest satisfaction, recognising hotels that excel in service delivery, quality of facilities, and the overall holiday experience. Extended only to the top 8% of hotels worldwide, it underscores the strength of the brand’s diverse portfolio, from signature Holiday Plans to adults-only escapes and immersive, nature-inspired island retreats.

Under Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts, VARU by Atmosphere and Atmosphere Kanifushi continue to set benchmarks in elevated hospitality. VARU by Atmosphere offers a contemporary island experience with seamless inclusions and warm Maldivian service, while Atmosphere Kanifushi is known for its expansive setting, lush tropical surroundings, and wide range of experiences catering to both families and couples.

Within the COLOURS OF OBLU portfolio, OBLU SELECT Sangeli, OBLU SELECT Lobigili, and OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO each present distinct island escapes. OBLU SELECT Sangeli blends contemporary design in a stylish and tranquil setting. OBLU SELECT Lobigili is a romantic, adults-only retreat thoughtfully designed for couples, centred around intimacy and curated experiences. OBLU NATURE Helengeli stands out for its rich marine life and exceptional house reef, offering an immersive experience for snorkelling and diving enthusiasts.

“We are truly honoured to receive the British Airways Holidays Customer Excellence Award across multiple resorts within our portfolio. This recognition, driven by genuine guest feedback, is a testament to the passion and dedication of our teams who consistently go above and beyond to create exceptional experiences,” said Ashwin Handa, Chief Operating Officer at Atmosphere Core. “It reinforces our commitment to delivering distinctive and memorable stays across every island, tailored to different guest journeys.”

This achievement further strengthens Atmosphere Core’s position as a leading hospitality brand in the Maldives, driven by guest-centric service, innovation, and authentic island experiences.
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