The Maldives has achieved recognition in two categories at Japan's largest diving event, the Marine Diving Awards.
The Maldives secured the third spot in the "Best Area Overseas Division," while it secured second place in the "Best Overseas Destination I Want to Visit for the First Time" category.
The Marine Diving Awards, celebrating its 32nd edition, is a cornerstone event in Japan's diving scene, drawing online votes from divers nationwide over a six-month period. It serves as a vital platform for seasoned divers, aspiring enthusiasts, and industry professionals alike. The award ceremony took centre stage at the Marine Diving Fair 2024, held in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, in April. The event welcomed representatives from top-ranking destinations, instructors, and diving shops across eight categories.
The Maldives is renowned for its vast coral reefs, boasts hundreds of dive sites and a rich marine biodiversity of over 2,000 species. It stands out as a global hotspot for encountering manta rays and whale sharks annually.
Japan holds significance as a key market for the Maldives, with tourism ties strengthening over the years. Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Japanese tourists visiting the Maldives has increased, marking a remarkable 310% increase from the previous year. The increase, with 9,333 tourists arriving from January to March, underscores Japan's growing importance as the 15th largest tourist market for the Maldives, signaling a promising outlook for the Maldivian tourism sector.