Maldives awarded as World’s Leading Destination for the second consecutive year

Maldives has secured the World’s Leading Destination title and other accolades at World Travel Awards (WTA) 2021. The announcement was made at the WTA 2021 ceremony held virtually on December 16, 2021.

Established in 1993, World Travel Awards is the most prestigious honors program in global travel. The award is recognized globally as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence. The distinguished award is of great value to the destination, especially as it was achieved during such a challenging time.

The Maldives won the title for World’s Leading Destination after competing against 18 destinations including Dubai, Indonesia, Spain, Vietnam, United States, and Greece. This is the second consecutive year that the Maldives has secured this prestigious title.

Speaking about the achievement, Managing Director of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations (MMPRC) Thoyyib Mohamed expressed his sincere gratitude to everyone who voted for the Maldives. Thoyyib noted that the achievement was made possible by the concerted efforts of the Government of the Maldives, the Ministry of Tourism, other authorities, associations, NGOs, and all tourism sector stakeholders. He particularly acknowledged the tireless effort of MMPRC employees in maintaining destination presence, marketing the destination as a safe haven, promoting tourism products, and the unique geography and experiences which promoted travellers confidence towards the destination post-COVID-19.

The Maldives had also won the prestigious award last year during one of the most challenging periods for the tourism industry. MMPRC noted the award is a testament to the strength, dedication, effort, and planning shown by the Maldivian government during the pandemic.

The Maldives also won four awards in the Indian Ocean category at World Travel Awards. These categories are Indian Ocean's Leading Destination 2021, Indian Ocean's Leading Beach Destination, Indian Ocean's Leading Dive Destination 2021, and Indian Ocean's Leading Tourist Board 2021. The destination has won the famed Indian Ocean’s Leading Destination award 14 times within the last 18 years.