Following last year’s successful collaboration with acclaimed Chinese performance artist Liu Bolin, Maison Ruinart, the world’s first established Champagne house, and The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, a Two Michelin Key Resort, open a new creative chapter with an exclusive residency by French artist Alexandre Benjamin Navet.

Officially launching from December 18 to 23, 2026, in the presence of the artist, the residency will then continue across the resort for the following four months, through April 2027, with installations, experiences and artistic workshops available to guests throughout the period.

The dialogue between Maison Ruinart and Alexandre Benjamin Navet began in 2021, when he became the first artist commissioned to reinterpret Ruinart’s eco-designed Second Skin packaging. He later went on to illustrate Maison’s environmental commitments through a series of bespoke drawings.

At The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, guests will be invited into Alexandre Benjamin Navet’s vibrant universe, where art, Champagne and island life come together beneath the Maldivian sun. Inspired by tropical flora and fauna organic forms and the colors of the destination, his bold and playful installations will unfold across the island, culminating in a complete artistic transformation of the Beach Shack, the resort’s elegant beachfront restaurant.

“My inspiration draws on the intensity of the light, the power of the elements, the richness of the marine world, but also the fragility of this ecosystem. Through drawing and colour, I wanted to offer a sensitive interpretation of it, to reveal its beauty, and to present this territory in a different way — with the underlying idea of preserving it more carefully,” said Alexandre Benjamin Navet.

The residency will come to life through intimate encounters with the artist, creative workshops for both adults and younger guests, two gastronomic Ruinart pairing dinners, and curated Champagne tastings. At sunset, Ruinart Champagne will accompany the resort’s Defining Moment, as traditional bodu beru rhythms and a flaming ceremony mark the transition from day to evening against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean.

Alexandre Benjamin Navet’s creative vision will also extend into the festive season, with the artist designing the resort’s 2026 Christmas tree, ornaments and an exclusive collection of festive gifts. On December 22, the island will come alive for a magical Tree Lighting celebration in the presence of the artist and Maison Ruinart.

“We are delighted to welcome Maison Ruinart back to our island home for another inspiring artistic and gastronomic collaboration. This new chapter with Alexandre Benjamin Navet brings a vibrant creative energy to our island as part of A Canvas of Festive Wonder, our 2026–2027 festive season. We look forward to seeing his colourful universe come to life, creating memorable moments of art, celebration, and connection for our guests,” said Oscar Postma, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands.

From French savoir-faire to the Circle of Island Life, art, travel and celebration come together in a luminous end-of-year experience, marking a brilliant close to the year and an inspired opening to the festive season.

Niva Kuramathi Maldives welcomes young explorers to a week of magic, mischief and island wonder. From 26 October to 1 November 2026, young explorers step into A Spooktacular Island Adventure – seven days of crafts, games, and small wonder. Each morning is a new discovery. Each afternoon dissolves into the pool, the beach, the gold of twilight.

A week of creepy creature craft, spooky sports challenges and witches potions

The week begins with the creation of spiders and ghosts taking form under small hands, followed by pumpkin races and a treasure hunt that winds through the island’s gardens. Wands are crafted, potions bubble in the pool, and at the Eco Centre the island reveals the nocturnal life that wakes when the light softens.

Midweek turns playful and bold – monster mini-Olympics gives way to Halloween yoga, a slow stretch, a steady breath, before spooky bookmarks and beach games fill the hours. As evening settles, the zombie dance party begins and kids have fun mastering three awkward moves – stiff arms outstretched, the stumble and stomp, and bobbling head.

Small creatures come alive in craft and challenge. Bats take flight from paper and paint. A haunted sandcastle rises at the water’s edge, built together, shaped by tide and sand. Vampire ball games, pool challenges, and Halloween tattoos – an afternoon that turns easily into dancing.

When the Whole Island Wears a Mask

On Halloween, coconuts become canvases. Faces transform. Costumes appear as the light lengthens toward the Bageecha Trick-or-Treat event. Spooky games, sweet surprises, and a pool party where music and laughter carry over the water. A day of wonder, a night to remember.

Halloween feels different at Niva Kuramathi – softer, warmer, closer to nature. A week where children imagine freely, play barefoot, and find a little magic in the everyday. The sand, the lagoon, the golden hour – where they become part of the story.

For further information and reservations call: +960 666 01 50 or email:  reservations@nivakuramathi.com.

Cocoon Maldives, Joy Island and You & Me Maldives, the three Maldives resorts of The Cocoon Collection, marked World Tourism Day 2026 with full-day programmes inspired by this year’s global theme, “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.”

Across the three islands, guests and team members explored how technology, artificial intelligence and sustainability can shape the future of tourism while keeping the personal connections that define island hospitality.

Celebrations began at Cocoon Maldives with friendly competition of beach games for guests and team members. The day continued with a World Tourism Day Cocktail Party and Presentation at Loabi Loabi Bar. The presentation highlighted tourism as the backbone of the Maldivian economy and a source of livelihoods for thousands of families across the atolls, and it reaffirmed the resort’s commitment to protecting its reefs, beaches and marine life. Its centrepiece looked at how AI can personalise the guest journey.

Joy Island began the day at the main restaurant, The Market with Guests’ Ideas Wall, inviting guests to share their views on the future of travel. In the afternoon, team members joined an AI Brainstorming and Information Session at Joy Connect Conference Hall to explore practical uses of AI and digital technologies to enhance the guest experience. A Coral Planting Activity at Palm Beach underlined the resort’s commitment to marine conservation, and teams from across the resort took part in the AI Creative Challenge, developing AI-driven concepts for the future of tourism, with prizes for the first, second and third-place teams.

The day ended with a Management Cocktail and Presentation at Rainbow Bar Beach, where the leadership team shared insights into Joy Island’s digital roadmap and future direction.

At the adults-only You & Me Maldives, the day opened at Cheers Bar with the AI x Human Discovery Challenge, a scavenger hunt using a QR-code-powered Digital Passport. Guests visited six locations (the Beach, Restaurant, Reef, Spa, Water Sports Centre and Jetty), scanning QR codes and answering AI-related questions to unlock their passport.

A Cake Cutting Ceremony was held in the evening followed by a Management Cocktail Reception, where the resort unveiled The You & Me Tourism Manifesto 2026, built around the theme “Real Ideas, Brighter Tomorrows.” At the AI-Assisted Ideas Station on the beach, guests shared their views on where tourism is heading and shaped them into practical ideas. Management will review the ideas collected, and the resort will consider them for upcoming initiatives.

Through initiatives such as these, The Cocoon Collection continues to explore new ways to combine innovation, meaningful guest experiences and environmental responsibility in shaping the future of island hospitality.

World Tourism Day, observed annually on 27 September, highlights the social, cultural, political and economic significance of tourism globally. This year’s theme emphasises the responsible use of digital transformation and artificial intelligence to create more connected, innovative, efficient and sustainable tourism experiences.