The Maldives has been named the World’s Leading Destination 2025 for the sixth consecutive year at the World Travel Awards (WTA) Grand Final held at Exhibition World Bahrain.

The country also secured the title of World’s Leading Green Destination 2025 for the second year in a row. The green destination award was introduced for the first time in 2024, when the Maldives became its inaugural winner.

In addition to its two global titles, the Maldives also received three regional honours at this year’s ceremony. These include Indian Ocean’s Best MICE Destination 2025, Indian Ocean’s Best Incentive Destination 2025 awarded to Malé, and Indian Ocean’s Best Tourism Authority Website 2025 for VisitMaldives.com.

The honours come during a strong year for the Maldives tourism sector. Visitor arrivals surpassed two million earlier than in any previous year, and the nation remains on course to meet its target of 2.3 million arrivals by the end of 2025.

Throughout the year, Visit Maldives Corporation carried out a range of destination promotion activities, including digital campaigns, participation in international trade fairs, roadshows, and collaborative marketing with tourism industry partners. The organisation also launched its 2026 thematic brand, “Ocean Nation”, as part of its long-term marketing strategy.

Established in 1993, the World Travel Awards recognise excellence across the global travel and tourism sector, with winners selected through international voting by industry professionals and the public.