The Maldives will host the World Travel Awards (WTA) Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony in 2026, with the event scheduled to take place on 27 September to coincide with World Tourism Day, according to Visit Maldives.

The Indian Ocean Gala will return to the Maldives for the first time in more than a decade. The World Travel Awards, established in 1993, recognise achievements across the global travel and tourism sector, with winners selected through votes cast by travel professionals, industry stakeholders and consumers.

The Indian Ocean Gala is part of the World Travel Awards’ annual regional awards programme, which recognises tourism and hospitality providers across different regions before concluding with a global final. The Maldives last hosted the Indian Ocean Gala over ten years ago.

Visit Maldives said the event will be accompanied by a series of industry activities to be held during World Tourism Day week. The programme is expected to include industry forums, discussions on sustainable tourism and innovation, media engagements, familiarisation visits, cultural activities and networking events leading up to the gala ceremony.

The Maldives has received multiple awards at the World Travel Awards in recent years, including repeated recognition in the Indian Ocean category. The country has also received the World’s Leading Destination title for six consecutive years, according to Visit Maldives.

Visit Maldives said hosting the Indian Ocean Gala in 2026 is expected to provide an opportunity to engage international tourism stakeholders and highlight developments in the sector. The organisation said the event forms part of wider efforts to promote the Maldives as a tourism destination.