MIB Guest House Awards 2026: what Maldives’ first guest house awards mean for Fuvahmulah

The Maldives has a new set of awards for the people who run its local-island tourism. On 15 October 2026, Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) presents the first MIB Guest House Awards during its third annual Guest House Symposium at Barceló Nasandhura in Malé. For an island like Fuvahmulah, where guest houses, dive centres and the island council all work to bring visitors south, it is a welcome spotlight.

What the MIB Guest House Awards are

MIB created the awards to recognise service excellence in the guest house sector, to lift standards and to promote sustainable tourism. Entries are assessed independently by Crowe Maldives Advisory. There are 12 awards in three groups:

• Eight guest house awards: Service Excellence & Hospitality, Authentic Maldivian Experience, Island Excursions & Experiences, Culinary Experience, Eco-Friendly, Community Impact, Digital Presence, and Iconic Marine & Dive Experience.
• Three awards for individuals: Talent & Culture Champion, Guest Experience Champion and Outstanding Dive Master.
• One island award: the Guesthouse Tourism Champion Island Award, open to islands with at least 50 guest house rooms. MIB has said the winning island receives MVR 500,000 to carry out a project that benefits residents and visitors.

Guest houses compete against others of a similar size, in two tiers: up to 10 rooms, and 11 rooms or more. To enter, a guest house needs a Ministry of Tourism operating licence, tax and pension compliance, at least 12 months of operation and an active listing on a recognised booking platform.

What was said at the symposium

At the opening, MIB’s CEO and Managing Director, Mufaddal Idris Khumri, said guest houses are growing quickly as more travellers choose local islands. He asked operators to put sustainability first, including waste management and reef protection, so that the islands keep the authenticity and natural beauty visitors come for. The keynote speaker, Kiruba Shankar, spoke about giving each guest house a clear identity and building a strong digital presence, because more travellers now use AI tools to find where to stay.

Why this matters for Fuvahmulah

Several of the award areas read like a description of what Fuvahmulah already offers. It is a single-island atoll in the far south, known worldwide for diving with tiger sharks, and its council and operators have been working at this for years. In late 2024 Fuvahmulah was named Best Shark Diving Destination at the Diving Resort & Travel Show, and the city council held its own tourism awards to mark ten years of local tourism on the island, honouring guest houses, dive centres, photographers and individuals.

Awards like MIB’s help travellers know what to look for: a guest house that treats its team well, cooks local food, protects its reef and runs excursions and dives responsibly. Those are the same things we look for when we choose partners for guests. The full list of winners will be published by MIB through its official channels.

Stay and dive in Fuvahmulah with Atolliva

We work with Cozy Hotels Maldives on Fuvahmulah, and we can arrange your stay, your diving and your flights together:

• Cozy Nest Fuvahmulah: a newly opened boutique hotel with 18 rooms, a rooftop infinity pool and the Cozy Deck restaurant. The comfortable choice for divers, couples and small groups.
• Cozy Roots Fuvahmulah: 11 simple double and twin rooms, a rooftop infinity pool and daily breakfast. The better-value choice, and a good base if most of your day is spent in the water.
• Cozy Scuba Club: the dive centre linked to both hotels, running guided dives, including tiger shark dives, at sites a few minutes from shore.

There are no direct international flights to Fuvahmulah. Guests fly from Velana Airport in Malé, a flight of about an hour and a half, or fly to Gan in Addu Atoll and continue by boat. Tell us your dates and your diving level and we will plan the route, the rooms and the dives to suit you.

Request a quote for Fuvahmulah

Sources

• MIB guest house symposium and awards set for Thursday, Edition.mv
• MIB Guesthouse Symposium commences today, Edition.mv
• MIB to give MVR500,000 to Guest House Champion Award winner, Edition.mv
• MIB Guesthouse Awards 2026, Maldives Islamic Bank
• Fuvahmulah wins Best Shark Diving destination Award, Edition.mv
• Fuvahmulah Tourism Awards 2024 held, Fuvahmulah City Council