Maldives Wins World's Leading Destination Award at WTA 2023-2024

The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/ Visit Maldives) is pleased to announce a significant achievement for the destination - the Maldives has been named the World's Leading Destination at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2023. This esteemed accolade was secured by the Maldives for the fourth year in a row, despite strong competition from 17 renowned global destinations such as Dubai, Indonesia, New Zealand, Spain, and Vietnam. This award reaffirms the Maldives' ongoing distinction and unique allure, solidifying its position as the premier destination globally.

The Maldives once again won the top awards at the World Travel Awards event in Dubai on December 1, 2023. They were recognized as The World’s Leading Destination 2023-2024, and MMPRC received the honor of being named the World’s Leading Tourist Board 2023. This marks the second year in a row that they have won these prestigious titles. These victories demonstrate the Maldives' exceptional position in global tourism and the enduring appeal of the Sunny Side of Life to travelers worldwide.

The Maldives has been nominated as the World's Leading Beach Destination 2023, World's Leading Dive Destination 2023-2024, World's Leading Honeymoon Destination 2023-2024, World's Leading Island Destination 2023, and World's Most Romantic Destination 2023. This impressive fourth consecutive win reaffirms the Maldives' dedication to providing unmatched experiences, and we are grateful to our visitors, industry partners, and stakeholders whose unwavering support has been crucial in reaching this achievement.

The Maldives has had an exceptional year, marked by significant and well-planned initiatives. By November 23, 2023, a total of 348 promotional activities had been carried out, reaching over 4,534,603,078 people and greatly enhancing the Maldives' visibility as a top tourist destination worldwide. The combined efforts and strong support of tourism industry stakeholders played a crucial role in raising the destination to global prominence and desirability. A noteworthy event was the Visit Maldives Storytellers’ Conference 2023, which effectively showcased the Maldives' rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, captivating a global audience. Major campaigns also included partnerships with respected entities such as CNN International Commercial and BBC Studios. Another significant accomplishment in 2023 was the welcoming of the one-millionth visitor in just seven months.

The World Travel Awards, founded in 1993, is widely known as the leading awards program in the global travel and tourism industry, serving as the ultimate symbol of industry excellence. This program aims to recognize, reward, and commemorate outstanding achievements across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. Winners are selected through a voting system involving experienced travel professionals and consumer buyers within the industry.

The Maldives was also honored with the newly-established Global Tourism Resilience Award at the event. The award is given to the top 5 destinations and countries for their strategic efforts in building capacity to recover quickly and prosper following disruptions.