Nominations for the Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 have closed after drawing more than 460 submissions from resorts across the country, reflecting continued engagement from the Maldives’ hospitality sector.
The nominations period concluded at 11.59 pm on 9 February after organisers extended the original deadline by one week following requests from resorts for additional time. The extension allowed properties to complete and submit entries through the official online portal.
According to organisers, submissions were received from a wide range of resorts operating across the Maldives’ 179 active properties, including local and international resort groups as well as properties spanning multiple market segments. All nominations were supported by endorsement letters issued by either the General Manager or Human Resources department of each resort.
Presented by Bestbuy Maldives, the awards programme recognises the work of resort-based hospitality professionals, covering both individual roles and team performance. First introduced in 2024, the Hotelier Maldives Awards remain the country’s only awards programme focused exclusively on recognising professionals working within resort operations.
The 2026 edition represents the most extensive cycle of the awards so far, following the introduction of additional team-based categories alongside existing individual awards.
Hotelier Maldives has said the judging panel for this year’s awards will be announced shortly. Once appointed, judges will review and shortlist eligible nominations, after which shortlisted candidates will be opened for public voting, scheduled to begin in early March.
The awards ceremony is planned for mid-April and is expected to bring together hospitality professionals, industry leaders and other stakeholders to mark achievements across the resort sector. Further details on the judging process, public voting and the event programme are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
