Maldives has been honoured with the title of World’s Leading Destination at the World Travel Awards.

Here Breaking Travel News speaks to Thoyyib Mohamed, chief executive of the Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation, to find out how it feels to have been recognised by voters from around the globe.

Breaking Travel News: Having claimed a top title at the World Travel Awards, how does it feel to have won?

Thoyyib Mohamed: It is truly an absolute joy for us to secure the top title of World’s Leading Destination twice in a row.

It is a testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment of the Maldivian people over the past two years.

Despite the incredibly challenging period, we banded together to persevere and succeed.

In fact, the Maldivian tourism industry is flourishing beyond our expectations.

The Maldives has already welcomed a staggering 1.2 million travellers so far in 2021, and we are almost at peak operational capacity.

We are also connected to the entire globe with almost 30 international airlines flying to the Maldives.

With such achievements and prestigious accolades, we are confident in our endeavours, and we will continue to make the Maldives a leading destination in people’s hearts.

BTN: How will the trophy help you to promote Maldives as we move into 2022?

TM: As the award is the most prestigious award in the global travel and tourism industry, it serves as the ultimate hallmark of what makes the Maldives so incredibly special.

One of the key elements of our continued success is that we prioritize the safety, health, and wellbeing of all our travellers during their vacation in the Maldives - this includes making sure that the staff serving them are also similarly safe and healthy.

The stringent guidelines and measures in place and the naturally distanced islands ensure that the Maldives can easily offer an unparalleled level of safety for all holidaymakers.

We hope this trophy will continue to assure travellers that the Maldives is a safe haven.

BTN: What is it that caught the eye of voters; what do you think it is that separates Maldives from its competitors in the Indian Ocean and around the world?

TM: The unique archipelagic-geography, the unparalleled beauty, and the world-famous Maldivian hospitality sets our nation apart from other destinations.

Over 1,200 naturally distanced islands, of which 167 islands are tourist resorts, make up the Maldives.

Each resort is an entire island: this is the much-vaunted ‘one-island-one-resort’ concept unique to the Maldives that everyone is always talking about.

Each resort is complete with all the facilities and amenities you can imagine, so you never really need to leave the island for anything.

While we do have an abundance of glamour and luxury to offer our visitors, that isn’t all that the Maldives is about either.

We welcome travellers from all walks of life with equal enthusiasm and we offer unique products, like boutique hotels and charming guest houses in local inhabited islands, for business travellers or for holidaymakers looking to add a local twist to their visit.

We also have over 157 liveaboards for the adventurers who wish to voyage across the Maldives.

The Maldives offers a slice of paradise for everyone, and that’s what sets the Maldives apart from our competitors.

BTN: How would you describe the mood in Maldivian as we move into 2022 – is the market poised for a recovery next year?

TM: The market has already recovered, so the mood in the Maldives is one of joy, hope and optimism.

Tourism is no longer a budding industry in the Maldives as we prepare to celebrate our 50th anniversary.

The Maldives’ success in the tourism industry is truly an incredible tale.

In just five decades, we transformed the entire societal, political, and economic landscape of our nation, thanks, in no small part, to the instigation and development of tourism.

Over 12 years ago, we opened our first guest houses, paving the way for greater community inclusion in the tourism industry.

This year, we took our first real steps into the MICE industry.

We are confident that our venture into MICE tourism will be another significant milestone in the industry.

If the past two years have taught us anything, it is that uncertainty is a constant in the world today.

I can confidently say though, that whatever comes our way, we, our industry and our nation, have proven that with solidarity, tenacity and ingenuity, we can overcome anything together.

More Information

Find out more about Maldives on the official website.