Business
Maldives promoted at KITF 2023 in Kazakhstan
Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC / Visit Maldives) is thrilled to announce that we participated in KITF (Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair) 2023, held from 19th to 21st April 2023 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
A total of 24 co-exhibitors with 45 participants participated in the fair alongside MMPRC to strengthen the Maldives’ brand presence in Kazakhstan and establish the Sunny Side of Life as a top-of-the-mind destination for all potential holidaymakers.
KITF, one of the leading B2B fairs in the CIS region, has been held since 2001. The exhibition serves as a wide-ranging professional platform for the tourism industry of the whole Central Asian Region and is considered to be the pinnacle event of the sector in Kazakhstan. Corporate travel decision makers, investors, tour operators for VIP clients, and other travel trade professionals will take part in the fair.

Destination Maldives was proudly showcased with an impressive stand in a space spanning over 60 sqm. The stand provided visitors with a glimpse into the breathtaking Sunny Side of Life. Every aspect of the stand was thoughtfully curated to showcase the diverse segments of the Maldives’ tourism industry, including romance, seascapes, and cultural experiences, among others. The Maldives won a Recognition Award for its participation in KITF 2023. Some other destinations that received this award include Italy, Almaty, and Jordan. A special raffle was held between the visitors to the Maldives stand, and 2 lucky winners won free holidays to the Maldives, sponsored by Bandos Maldives and Madifushi Private Limited respectively.
Through this event, MMPRC and industry partners provided visitors with the latest information about the Maldives, making it an ideal platform for promoting the destination, our services, and offers. We promoted the products, experiences, and the segments of the Maldivian tourism industry. We believe that participation in KITF 2023 was key to meeting potential collaborators and maintaining destination presence in the CIS region.

As of the end of January 2023, the Maldives had welcomed 2,995 tourists from Kazakhstan. The CIS region is a significant region for Maldives tourism industry, notably with Russia holding its position as the top source market to the Maldives in 2023 thus far. MMPRC held a total of 16 various marketing activities for the CIS market in 2022 and the arrivals from the market at the end of last year was at 238,951 tourists.
In addition to KITF2 2023, MMPRC took part in Moscow Dive Show earlier this year and has planned several marketing activities in this region to market and further promote the destination. These activities include taking part in trade events such as LTM Moscow and DTM Kazakhstan, alongside several other high-profile marketing campaigns.
Business
Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space
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.
Business
BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet
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.
Action
Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah
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.
-
Cooking1 week agoA spring of flavours: Nowruz dining series at JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa
-
News1 week agoPulse Hotels & Resorts unveils Aura Maldives, a mindful luxury sanctuary
-
News1 week agoSun Siyam Iru Fushi sets new nenchmark with 24 Hour Premium All Inclusive Dine Around
-
Fitness1 week agoOUTRIGGER Maldives Maafushivaru launches expanded wellness programming for 2026
-
Action1 week agoSheraton Maldives Full Moon celebrates sixth anniversary of Reefscapers collaboration
-
Featured1 week agoYou & Me Maldives unveils curated Premium All Inclusive programme
-
Cooking1 week agoPatina Maldives hosts Chef Shannon Bennett for exclusive April residency
-
Awards7 days agoCentara Mirage Lagoon Maldives named Luxury Family Friendly Resort of the Year


