The Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) has announced opening the application window for the MIB Guesthouse Awards 2026 on July 15.
The bank has published the eligibility criteria for the awards. The MIB Guesthouse Awards is also the only such award introduced in the Maldives to date specifically aiming to promote the expanding local tourism sector and recognize the outstanding efforts of island-level service providers, guesthouses, and the islands themselves.
MIB has appointed Crowe Maldives Advisory to ensure fairness and transparency of the evaluation process. According to the bank, the awards have been divided into two tiers to further enhance fair competition amongst applicants.
Tiers
- Tier 1: Guesthouses with up to 10 rooms
- Tier 2: Guesthouses with 11 rooms or more
Guesthouse Eligibility Criteria
- Must be a legally registered business under the Companies Act of the Maldives
- Must possess valid guesthouse operating credentials issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation
- Must submit legally required compliance documents (including Tax Clearance Certificate, proof of pension contributions under the Pension Act, and documentation showing compliance with the Employment Act)
- Must have been in continuous operation for at least 12 uninterrupted months leading up to the application date and must still be operational
- Must have an active listing on an internationally recognized online travel platform (such as Booking.com, Airbnb, Agoda, or TripAdvisor)
Eligibility Criteria for Individuals and Islands
- For Individuals: Applicants competing for individual awards must be Maldivian citizens, and must not have conflict of interests with either Maldives Islamic Bank or Crowe Maldives Advisory
- For Islands: Islands applying for the “Guesthouse Tourism Champion Island Award” must be actively and sustainably working to promote tourism at the island level and at the time of application, the total number of operational guesthouse rooms on the island must not be less than 50
Award Categories
The MIB Guesthouse Awards 2026 will feature awards across a total of three main categories, that include:
- 8 specialized awards for guesthouses in each tier
- 3 individual awards dedicated to professionals in the tourism sector
- 1 special award recognizing the most outstanding island
The bank, and organizer, stated that the exact date for the awards gala will be announced later in the near future via its official media channels.