Contracts signed, brochures printed: This bill rewrites price
A bill before the Majlis would order the world’s travel sellers to collect 17% Maldivian tax from 1 October—in the middle of a selling season whose prices were fixed months ago. It arrives without workings, without machinery, and without any sign its drafters have sat in a contracting meeting. The industry that feeds this economy […]
Evolution, not revolution: Kuredhivaru prepares for its next chapter as Mondrian Maldives
After seven years of building a position in the Maldives resort market, Kuredhivaru Resort & Spa is preparing for a change in identity. The resort will become Mondrian Maldives, bringing the Mondrian lifestyle brand to its private island setting in Noonu Atoll. For General Manager Stanislaw Pajdzinski, however, the transition is not about starting again. […]
Business of island hospitality: Ventive Hospitality’s Ranjit Batra on managing resort assets in Maldives
For a hotel owner, the Maldives presents a particular equation. A resort is not simply a collection of rooms supported by restaurants, a spa and recreational facilities. On an island, the owner is responsible for an operating environment that includes power generation, water production, waste management, marine ecosystems, staff infrastructure, transport and logistics, alongside the […]
BBM, American Specialty bring foodservice training and demonstrations to Maldivian kitchens
When Vijay Anand arrived in the Maldives for a three-day market visit, his objective was not only to introduce products, but also to understand how chefs, F&B teams and foodservice operators work across one of the region’s most logistically complex hospitality markets. Anand works with American Specialty, a US-based company with its corporate office in […]
World Environment Day: How Maldives became a global leader in sustainable tourism – and what comes next
On a nation of low-lying coral islands, sustainability is not a marketing strategy. It is a necessity. As the world marks World Environment Day on June 5, the Maldives stands as one of the tourism industry’s most compelling sustainability success stories. Over the past two decades, the country has transformed itself from a luxury beach […]
Maldivian resort architecture: Mauroof Jameel’s exhibition traces five decades of island design
At the National Art Gallery in Malé, renowned architect, researcher and illustrator Mauroof Jameel is presenting a story that is both familiar and rarely told in full: the architectural evolution of the Maldivian resort. For a country whose modern economy, international image and employment landscape have been shaped by tourism, the resort is more than […]
At JOALI Maldives, Pâtissier Karim Bourgi turns pastry into a lesson in precision
At JOALI Maldives, creativity is not confined to galleries, dining rooms or the architecture of its villas. It appears across the island in different forms: in art installations placed among palms, in design-led spaces that frame the lagoon, in culinary experiences that treat food as a medium of expression, and, during the Eid al-Adha break, […]
The Barefoot Eco Hotel & Villas: A more rooted interpretation of Maldivian hospitality
In a destination often defined by private island seclusion, overwater architecture and high-gloss spectacle, The Barefoot Eco Hotel & Villas in Hanimaadhoo offers a different proposition. It does not attempt to compete through scale, excess or visual drama. Instead, it builds its identity around something quieter and more layered: a closer relationship with island life, […]
Hospitality, heritage and place: How Raffaella Colleoni sees the Heritage Villas as a model for a more rooted Maldives
For many hotels, identity is built through design language, service standards or location. At The Barefoot in Hanimaadhoo, identity has long been tied to something more layered: the attempt to create a tourism experience that remains in conversation with the island around it. The opening of the Heritage Villas adds a new dimension to that […]
Pivotal role of Dhiraagu in powering digital lifelines for hospitality
The Maldives has long captured the imagination of travellers through its turquoise waters, pristine beaches, and world-renowned hospitality. Yet today, beyond the beauty of its islands and resorts, another essential force quietly powers the nation’s tourism industry, digital connectivity. As global travel becomes increasingly digital, seamless connectivity is no longer simply an added convenience for […]
Rebuilding memory: How Christophe Groh’s Heritage Villas reimagine Maldivian architecture for a new era
In a tourism landscape often defined by speed, scale and standardisation, the Heritage Villas at The Barefoot in Hanimaadhoo offer a different proposition. They do not begin with the usual language of luxury development, nor with the promise of novelty for its own sake. Instead, they begin with a question: what happens when architecture looks […]
The quiet power of detail: Why small equipment decisions shape luxury resort experiences
In luxury hospitality, the guest experience is often judged not only by what is most visible, but by what is most felt. A stunning arrival jetty, generous villa space and a well-designed pool all matter. They help create the first impression. But what often defines a truly memorable stay are the smaller interactions that happen […]
