MIB Guesthouse Awards 2026 to recognise islands that promote and sustain guesthouse tourism

The MIB Guesthouse Awards 2026, organized by the Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB), recognizes individual guesthouses as well as islands that have taken the initiative to expand and sustain local tourism at the island level.

The special category introduced this year is the Guesthouse Tourism Champion Island Award.

MIB said the award will be judged on collaboration between island councils, the public and businesses, island-level advertising efforts and infrastructure development. In addition, the evaluation will consider efforts to preserve the island’s natural beauty and ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for tourists.

Islands applying for the Guesthouse Tourism Champion Island Award must have at least 50 operational guesthouse rooms at the time of application.

The MIB Guesthouse Awards will present 12 awards across three categories: eight awards for guesthouses, three awards for tourism entrepreneurs, and the Island Award for the most outstanding island.

MIB said Crowe Maldives Advisory will act as an independent third party to ensure the entire evaluation process is conducted fairly.

MIB’s main objective is to enhance the quality of local tourism in Maldives, encourage innovative and sustainable services, and recognize indigenous hospitality.

The bank opened nominations for the first-ever “MIB Guesthouse Awards 2026” on the 28th of last month, and applications will remain open until the 31st of this month.