World Travel Awards 2013:
Maldives sweeps 22 out of 33 awards for the Indian Ocean category

Different actors in the Maldives tourism industry have won 22 places in the World Travel Awards 2013 out of a total of 33 awards for the Indian Ocean category. The award ceremony was held at the Paradise Island resort last night.

Described as the “Oscars of the travel industry” by the Wall Street Journal, the World Travel Awards is renowned as the most prestigious and comprehensive in the travel and tourism industry.

Maldives defended its titles as the “Leading Destination” and the “Leading Cruise Destination" and gained the title of “Leading Beach Destination” this year.

Ibrahim Nasir International Airport won the award for the Leading Airport for the Indian Ocean category and the Maldives Tourism Promotion Board won the award for Leading Tourist Board. Maldives Minister for Tourism Arts and Culture Mr. Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Gafoor won this year’s award for the Indian Ocean Travel and Tourism Personality of the Year.

The event was participated by President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, President and Founder of the World Travel Awards Graham E. Cooke, government ministers, CEO’s of the industry and SVPs of leading travel companies, tourist board chiefs, and other elites in the industry.

Maldives competed in 33 different categories amongst Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion Islands and the Seychelles.

Other awards won by resorts in the Maldives include the Indian Ocean's Leading Family Resort by Lily Beach Resort & Spa, Maldives and Indian Ocean's Leading Beach Resort won by LUX* Maldives. While Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island, Maldives won the awards for Indian Ocean's Leading New Resort, Gili Lankanfushi Maldives won both Leading Luxury Resort and the Leading Spa Resort for the Indian Ocean category. Baros Maldives won the awards for the Indian Ocean’s Most Romantic Resort and the Indian Ocean's Leading Resort, while Sun Island Resort and Spa Maldives won the Indian Ocean's Leading Green Resort award. Ocean Suites at Paradise Island Resort & Spa Maldives won the Indian Ocean's Leading Luxury Water Villa and Ayada Maldives won the place for Indian Ocean's Leading Villa Resort & Spa.

Some of the other Maldivian companies that received recognition last night include Atoll Paradise as the Indian Ocean's Leading Travel Agency, Island Hideaway Spa Resort & Marina Maldives as the Indian Ocean's Leading Boutique Hotel, Hulhule' Island Hotel, Maldives as the Indian Ocean's Leading Leisure Hotel, Lets Go Maldives as the Indian Ocean's Leading Luxury Tour Operator and Paradise Island Resort & Spa Maldives as the Indian Ocean's Leading Conference Hotel.

The ceremony also saw awards for local categories, where Huvafen Fushi Maldives won the Maldives' Leading Boutique Resort, Paradise Island Resort & Spa won Maldives' Leading Family Resort, Sun Island Resort & Spa won the Maldives' Leading Green Resort, Villa Hotels won both the Maldives' Leading Leisure Hotel Brand and Maldives' Leading Spa Resort Brand awards.

The award for the Maldives' Leading Resort went to One&Only Maldives at Reethi Rah and Maldives' Leading Spa Resort went to Ayada Maldives. Gili Lankanfushi was chosen as the Maldives' Leading Luxury Resort, Baros Maldives as the Maldives' Leading Water Villa Resort, Get Into Maldives Travels as the Maldives' Leading Travel Agency, Atoll Paradise as the Maldives' Leading Tour Operator and Lets Go Maldives won Maldives' Leading Luxury Tour Operator.

World Travel Awards was launched in 1993 to acknowledge and recognise excellence in the global travel and tourism industry. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, it is regarded as the highest achievement that a travel product could hope to receive.