Equator Village Maldives has won the ‘Best Airport Hotel’ accolade for a second year running, at the prestigious Maldives Travel Awards.
At the Maldives Travel Awards gala held at Paradise Island Resort on December 27, Equator Village won the award, seeing off competition from Hulhule Airport Hotel and Champa Central in capital Male.
Located in Gan island in the southernmost atoll of Addu, Equator Village enjoys a quiet, beach-side location and is just five minutes’ drive from Gan International Airport. The resort is popular with holidaymakers, flight crew, and transit passengers alike.
The colonial style resort, housed in what was once the British RAF Sergeant’s Mess, has 78 rooms set amongst pretty, English flower gardens. Recent refurbishments to the swimming pool, spa, and gym, as well as restaurant, bar, and reception has given the resort a fresh new look.
As well as numerous daily flights to Male, SriLankan Airlines operates direct flights from Gan to Colombo, and South African Airlines recently started a weekly charter from Johannesburg to Gan.
The Maldives Travel Awards gala returned this year to Paradise Island Resort, which played host to the first ever gala of the premier travel event of Maldives in 2012.
The gala saw more than 200 travel industry professionals come together to celebrate the winners in 25 categories of the Gala Edition, which is exclusive for the resorts, airlines and liveaboards operating in Maldives.
Initiated in 2012 by MATATO, Maldives Travel Awards celebrate and honour the best tourism and hospitality products in the Maldives, while fostering relationships with suppliers and local travel agents. From 20 categories in 2012, the awards have now expanded into three editions totalling 55 categories.
Like 2017, MATATO hosted three editions in 2018: the People’s Edition, which recognises successful pioneers and long serving individuals in the tourism industry, a Guesthouse Edition, which celebrates the outstanding performance of the up and coming guesthouse sector, and the Grand Gala, which is exclusive for winners in the categories for resorts, airlines and liveaboards.