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Emirates awarded for exceptional contribution to Maldives tourism

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Emirates was honoured with the prestigious ‘50 years of Tourism Award by MATI’ for its exceptional contribution to the tourism industry, as Maldives tourism marks its golden jubilee this year.

The Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), the oldest tourism-related association in the Maldives, presented the ‘50 Years of Tourism Award by MATI’ to Emirates at an awards gala attended by Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamad Solih at Kurumba Maldives on 17 July. The award was collected by Chandana De Silva, Area Manager Sri Lanka & Maldives on behalf of Ahmed Khoory, Emirates Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, West Asia and Indian Ocean.

Ahmed Khoory, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, West Asia and Indian Ocean, said, “Emirates is honoured to be recognized by the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI). Maldives is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Indian Ocean, and the high quality of tourism infrastructure paired with the inimitable experiences the destination provides are a perfect match for leisure seekers that fly Emirates. Over the three decades that followed since we launched operations to Maldives, Emirates has built on the success achieved over the years, carrying around 8.4 million passengers to and from the island nation across key strategy markets within the Emirates network. As travel rebounds, we look forward to further strengthen our efforts to support post-pandemic recovery and boost tourism.”

Based on nominations from all members of MATI as well as the operators of resorts in the Maldives, the award celebrates and honours the hard work, ingenuity and resilience of the people and organisations that have contributed exceptionally to the Maldives tourism industry, on the occasion of the industry’s Golden Jubilee.

The awards event recognised contributions under three categories – Pioneers, Former Presidents of MATI and the winners of the ‘50 Years of Tourism Award by MATI.’

Emirates has played an integral part in the socio-economic growth of the Maldives for 35 years. The award-winning international airline commenced services to Maldives on 27 May 1987, with two flights a week. Maldives was the eighth international destination on the Emirates network. Over the three decades that followed, Emirates grew into the world’s leading international airline and was connecting the Maldives to a global network that comprised of more than 150 destinations before the global pandemic.

Emirates has operated more than 28,000 round trip flights to the Maldives to date, logging approximately 134 million kilometres on the route. In 2021, Emirates was recognised as the top airline to the Maldives for carrying 265,000 passengers in that year, an impressive contribution to the tourism industry of the Maldives after COVID-19 necessitated travel restrictions were lifted.

Today, Emirates operates 35 flights a week to and from the Maldives, connecting travellers and exporters to a destination network that is rapidly and safely being restored to pre-pandemic levels as countries re-open for international travel.

Emirates continues to be at the forefront in revolutionising air travel and restoring travel confidence. Continuing to place top priority on safe travel with the implementation of comprehensive measures on the ground throughout all touchpoints and on board, it provides its passengers with the highest safety and hygiene standards at every step of the journey. Customers travelling from Dubai can also take advantage of state of the art contactless technology to ease their journey through the airport.

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Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space

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Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has announced the opening of Feydhoo Hall, a landmark event venue at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, redefining the possibilities for meetings, celebrations, and destination events in the Maldives.

Designed to bring scale, flexibility, and creativity to island gatherings, Feydhoo Hall represents a bold step forward in positioning the Maldives as a dynamic destination for conferences, weddings, and large-scale social occasions.

Feydhoo Hall offers a versatile event complex designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and social celebrations.

At its core is the 390 sqm Main Hall, capable of hosting:

  • Up to 300 guests in theatre-style setup
  • Up to 240 guests for dining and banquet-style events
  • Up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions
  • Up to 144 guests in cluster-round configuration

Enhancing the flexibility of the venue are additional dedicated spaces, including:

  • A 110 sqm Veranda Terrace, ideal for welcome receptions, breakout sessions, and pre-event gatherings, accommodating up to 100 guests for cocktail-style events.
  • A spacious 1,000 sqm Lawn Space, perfect for large-scale outdoor celebrations, destination weddings, and open-air events, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 350 guests for dining setups.
  • The 55 sqm Ekugai Meeting Room, designed for smaller meetings and executive sessions, accommodating up to 30 guests in theatre or dining setup and 24 guests in cluster-round format.

Together, these integrated spaces create a seamless indoor-outdoor event experience, allowing planners to design dynamic and personalised event journeys.

True to the dusitD2 brand’s lifestyle-driven philosophy, Feydhoo Hall introduces a fresh approach to meetings and events — where productivity meets creativity in an inspiring island setting.

The venue offers flexible meeting formats designed to suit different event needs, including:

  • Half-Day Meeting Package (4 hours) — ideal for focused sessions, executive meetings, and creative workshops.
  • Full-Day Meeting Package (8 hours) — designed for immersive conferences, extended workshops, and large-scale corporate gatherings.

These thoughtfully structured packages provide planners with the flexibility to create impactful and seamless experiences, whether hosting intimate strategy sessions or dynamic full-day events.

Located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives combines accessibility with vibrant lifestyle energy, offering event planners and guests a rare balance between convenience and tropical escape.

With the introduction of Feydhoo Hall, the resort strengthens its position as a versatile destination — not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, creative retreats, luxury weddings, and large-scale social celebrations seeking something refreshingly different in the Maldives.

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BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet

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Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) opened a new wholesale store in Hulhumalé Phase 2 on Monday.

The outlet is located on the ground floor of Lot 20286, Nirolhu Magu, and is intended to improve access to BBM’s imported goods for residents of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and for businesses operating in the area.

According to the company, the opening forms part of its plan to expand services closer to customers in line with population growth in Hulhumalé.

With the opening of the new store, BBM’s full range of imported and distributed products will be available at the Hulhumalé Phase 2 location. These include consumer goods from international brands such as Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Unilever.

The store will also stock wholesale food products from brands including Daily, Cavin’s and Redman.

BBM has supplied goods to resorts, hotels and retail outlets across the Maldives for several years.

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Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah

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Ataraxis Grand & Spa recently hosted a week-long, closed corporate offsite in Fuvahmulah for a US-based artificial intelligence company, highlighting the island’s growing suitability for integrated work-and-experience retreats. The retreat brought a group of 36 international professionals to the property, which was reserved exclusively for the programme.

Designed as a private company offsite, the stay combined structured daily work sessions with guided diving and beginner-friendly surf experiences, creating a balanced format that blended focused collaboration with physical reset.

A notable component of the programme was dive training and certification. During the retreat, 17 participants completed their Open Water certification, while a further six undertook the Advanced Open Water course, with training and dives scheduled alongside work sessions as part of the integrated itinerary.

Throughout the week, participants worked on-site using dedicated shared spaces supported by reliable high-speed internet, allowing meetings, informal collaboration and scheduled activities to take place within a single, uninterrupted environment. This setup enabled teams to move seamlessly between work periods and organised ocean activities without leaving the property.

Fuvahmulah’s natural and operational advantages formed a key part of the retreat’s appeal. As one of the Maldives’ largest inhabited islands, it offers immediate access to pelagic dive sites, internationally recognised shark diving and surf breaks suitable for instruction, alongside the infrastructure required to support extended group stays.

The offsite reflects a growing preference among technology and knowledge-sector teams for small-scale retreats that prioritise concentrated work environments and team cohesion over traditional conference formats. Such programmes typically involve longer stays and higher per-capita spend, aligning with sustainable, quality-driven tourism models.

The retreat also demonstrates how locally operated properties such as Ataraxis Grand & Spa are supporting this shift by delivering unified environments where accommodation, workspaces, connectivity and curated experiences operate as a single programme rather than separate services.

As organisations continue to explore alternative formats for strategy sessions, team resets and creative offsites, Ataraxis Grand & Spa’s experience positions Fuvahmulah as an increasingly viable destination for integrated corporate retreats.

Ataraxis Grand & Spa offers work-and-dive retreat programmes in Fuvahmulah that combine accommodation, dedicated workspaces, high-speed connectivity and organised diving and surfing.

Further information on retreat formats and dive-inclusive stays is available via the Ataraxis Grand & Spa website.

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