Maldives a longtime favorite destination for honeymooners around the world is named ‘World’s Most Romantic Destination’ at the 2007 World Travel Awards 14th Annual Gala Ceremony held on the islands of Turks & Caicos, Caribbean, on December 12, 2007.

In addition Maldives won in the Indian Ocean’s category as follows.

• Indian Ocean’s Leading Destination – Maldives
• Indian Ocean’s Leading Dive Destination – Maldives
• Indian Ocean’s Leading Diving Resort – Angsana Resort & Spa Maldives
• Indian Ocean’s Leading Resort – Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa
• Indian Ocean’s Leading Spa Resort – Huvafen Fushi Maldives
• Indian Ocean’s Leading Tourist & Convention Bureau – Maldives Tourism Promotion Board
• Indian Ocean’s Leading Travel Agency – Inner Maldives Holidays
• Indian Ocean’s Leading Villa – Baros Residence, Baros Maldives

The global winners of the World Travel Awards for 2007 were announced at a star-studded ceremony on the island of Providenciales, from votes cast by 167,000 tourism professionals and agents who were asked to vote. Next year’s voting register is likely to be even greater, due to the unprecedented levels of interest and expectation.

Hailed as the ‘Oscars of the travel industry’, World Travel Awards have been attracting media attention from all corners of the globe.

The Maldives has been nominated in five categories in the 14th Annual World Travel Awards to be held in the Turks and Caicos Islands on the 12th December 2007. The five categories that Maldives got nominated are World’s Leading Destination, World’s Leading Dive Destination, World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination, World’s Leading Romantic Destination and World’s Leading Travel Television Commercial. In addition Maldives Tourism Promotion Board has been nominated in the World’s Leading Tourist and Convention Bureau category.

Furthermore, some of the Maldives tourism industry players have been nominated in important categories. In this regard Inner Maldives has been nominated in the World’s Leading Travel Agency category, Baros Maldives got nominated in World’s Leading Villa and World’s Leading Beach Resort category, Hilton Maldives has been nominated in World’s Leading Resort category and Huvafenfushi has been nominated in World’s Leading Spa Resort category.

Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as the “Travel industry’s equivalent to the Oscars”, the World Travel Awards are the most comprehensive and most prestigious awards program in the global travel industry. The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 to acknowledge and celebrate excellence in the world’s travel and tourism industry. With thousands of votes cast by travel professionals from 167,000 travel agencies in over 160 countries across the globe, winning a World Travel Award has become one of the highest accolades a travel product can achieve.

The 2007 World Travel Awards world winners will be announced and presented at the gala ceremony which will take place in the islands of Turks & Caicos on the 12th December 2007. Candidates nomination for world winners categories are based on the results from the four regional ceremonies which took place in Abu Dhabi, New York, NewcastleGateshead and Bangalore in 2007.

MTPB won the Indian Oceans Leading Tourist and Visitor Bureau Award in Bangalore ceremony. Maldives also won the Indian Ocean’s Leading Destinations Award and Indian Ocean’s Leading Dive Destination Award in the same ceremony. During this ceremony Maldives Tourism industry won awards in many categories.

The Maldives – now a renowned tourist destination world-wide, entered the tourism industry with very humble beginnings in the 1970s when a small group of Italian travellers came to the Maldives.

The first tourist to the Maldives – Mr Corbin, made his first trip to the Maldives in October 1971 with a photographer friend Frenchesco Benini and a Maldivian Mr Kerefa Ahmed Naseem, in the ‘Maldives Exporter’, a cargo ship.

After an adventurous trip in the virtually unexplored paradise Mr Corbin wrote profusely about this journey to the Maldives, describing his first impression of the Maldives as “breathtaking”. Upon returning home, Mr Cobin wrote many articles enhanced by Mr Benini’s pictures and they eventually published a book called Duemila isole felici which was published in 1973.

The Maldives Third Tourism Master Plan 2007-2011 was officially launched on 14th August 2007 at a ceremony held in Hanimaadhoo, Haa Dhaalu Atoll. The ceremony officiated by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was attended, among others, by representatives of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO), airlines operating in and into the Maldives, foreign tour operators and relevant Government Ministries and agencies. Among the invitees were also representatives of island offices, island development committees and women’s committees from the three northern-most atolls of Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu and Shaviyani.

The thrust of the Maldives Third Tourism Master Plan is on expanding and strengthening the Maldives tourism as an instrument of economic and social development in a manner that benefits all Maldivians in all parts of the country. The Plan stresses the development of the industry along the lines of sustainability, adopting environmentally and socially responsible tourism practices. Accordingly, the Plan emphasises developing tourism in harmony with nature, facilitating and enhancing private sector investment, developing human resources, creating greater employment opportunities and diversifying markets and products.

Contrary to previous Plans, the Third Tourism Master Plan is formulated as a “living document” to ensure its responsiveness to rapid changes in the Maldivian economy and global trends in the industry.

The Plan, unlike the two previous Plans, stipulates strategies and actions along with target dates and performance measures in achieving the goals of the Plan specified in Section One.

This year the Maldives celebrates 35 years of tourism in the country.

There are some holidays in your life that you will really look forward to, and your Honeymoon will be one of them.  After spending endless hours preparing for your big day and then finally getting married, you’ll be thinking of one thing only: getting some well deserved rest.

There is no better place than the Maldives for your Honeymoon.  With a wonderful tropical climate, chilled out island atmosphere, beautiful sandy beaches and crystal clear water, Maldives Honeymoon holidays offer everything you could ever want for a relaxed break.

A mid-range direct flight from many European airports means that you could be topping up your tan on a sun kissed Maldives beach in very little time.  Now with so many resorts to choose from, you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy your holidays in paradise.  If you are on a budget and can’t afford to splash some cash after your wedding you could choose to stay in somewhere like the Paradise Island Resort, or if you would like something more indulgent why not head to the wonderful Kuredu Island Resort where you can enjoy the best of what the Maldives has to offer.

Many of the resorts in the Maldives offer all inclusive packages where you get all your food, drinks and activities including scuba diving, snorkeling and excursions in one price.  These may look more expensive and cost more initially, but they do save you money and are well worth it.  For the best time on your Honeymoon in the Maldives we would recommend an all inclusive package.