Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) has opened applications for the MIB Guesthouse Awards 2026, an initiative aimed at recognising excellence and innovation within the Maldives’ guesthouse tourism sector.

MIB said the awards will honour guesthouses, tourism professionals and island councils that have contributed to improving hospitality standards through exceptional service, authentic Maldivian experiences, sustainability, innovation, community engagement and destination development.

The awards are open to participants from across the Maldives and will be assessed through an independent evaluation process. Crowe Maldives Advisory has been appointed as the independent evaluation partner to ensure transparency and fairness.

The awards feature 12 categories across three divisions. Eight categories recognise outstanding guesthouses, while three categories celebrate individuals who have made significant contributions to the guesthouse tourism industry. The Guesthouse Tourism Champion Island Award will recognise islands demonstrating leadership in developing and sustaining guesthouse tourism.

To ensure fair competition, guesthouses will be evaluated under a two-tier classification system based on accommodation size. Tier 1 includes guesthouses with 3 to 10 rooms, while Tier 2 includes properties with 11 or more rooms.

Applications can be submitted online through the dedicated MIB Guesthouse Awards 2026 portal, where applicants can register, review category requirements, submit supporting documents and track the progress of their applications.

MIB said the date for the official award ceremony will be announced at a later stage.