Maldives has been crowned world’s leading beach destination.
The award was presented at the World Travel Awards 2019 Grand Gala, held at Royal Opera House in Omani capital of Muscat on November 28.
The Maldives beat Cancun and Riviera Maya in Mexico, Diani Beach in Kenya, Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, Máncora in Peru, Maui in Hawaii (US), Miami Beach in Florida (US), Peloponnese in Greece, Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi (UAE), Santa Monica in California (US), The Algarve in Portugal, and Turks & Caicos Islands, as well as Jamaica, Philippines and Thailand, to win the prestigious award.
The Maldives was nominated in six other categories as well: World’s Leading Destination, World’s Leading Dive Destination, World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination, World’s Leading Island Destination, World’s Leading Tourist Board and World’s Most Romantic Destination.
The destination was also recognised in several categories — Indian Ocean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination, Indian Ocean’s Leading Beach Destination and Indian Ocean’s leading Dive Destination — at the regional level World Travel Awards Africa & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony, held in June.
The Maldives has won several prominent awards at each edition of the World Travel Awards.
In 2018, the Maldives won the award for the World’s Leading Dive Destination. The country also secured several regional awards, including Indian Ocean’s Leading Beach Destination, Indian Ocean’s Leading Dive Destination and Indian Ocean’s Leading Destination.
World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry. Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.
Each year, World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region. World Travel Awards Gala Ceremonies are widely regarded as the best networking opportunities in the travel industry, attended by government and industry leaders, luminaries and international print and broadcast media.
