Velana International Airport (VIA) has secured nominations in two categories of the World Travel Awards 2026, placing the Maldives’ main international gateway in competition with some of the world’s most recognised airports, including Singapore Changi, Dubai International and Hong Kong International.
The airport, operated by Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), has been shortlisted for both World’s Leading Airport 2026 and World’s Leading Airport – Customer Experience 2026.
The nominations follow VIA’s victory in the Indian Ocean’s Leading Airport 2026 category at the regional World Travel Awards ceremony held in the Maldives in September.
According to MACL, the regional win paved the way for Velana International Airport to compete at the global level, where it will be assessed alongside major international aviation hubs.
In the World’s Leading Airport 2026 category, VIA is among 20 airports competing for the title.
Other nominees include Singapore’s Changi Airport, Dubai International Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Istanbul’s iGA Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Zurich Airport.
The second nomination recognises customer experience, an increasingly important aspect of airport operations as international travel continues to evolve.
VIA is one of 12 airports nominated for World’s Leading Airport – Customer Experience 2026.
Its competitors in this category include Changi Airport, Dubai International Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, Sydney Airport and Auckland Airport.
The World Travel Awards, established in 1993, recognise achievements across the global travel, tourism and hospitality industries, with categories covering airlines, airports, hotels, destinations and other tourism-related services.
The awards are organised through regional programmes followed by global categories, bringing together nominees from different parts of the world.
For the Maldives, the nominations carry particular significance because Velana International Airport serves as the country’s principal international aviation gateway and plays a central role in supporting the tourism industry.
With tourism forming a major pillar of the Maldivian economy, the airport is a key entry point for international visitors travelling to resorts and inhabited islands across the country.
VIA’s operations also support the wider aviation and hospitality sectors, including international airlines, domestic transfers, seaplane services and businesses involved in tourism.
The airport has undergone major infrastructure development in recent years as part of efforts to accommodate growing passenger demand and improve the overall travel experience.
These developments have included investment in passenger terminal facilities and other airport infrastructure intended to strengthen operational capacity and support the country’s long-term tourism growth.
The latest nominations place VIA in competition with airports that handle substantially larger passenger volumes and operate extensive international route networks.
MACL has welcomed the recognition and is encouraging Maldivians, international travellers, tourism industry partners and supporters of the Maldives to take part in the voting process.
The company has called for public support in both categories, highlighting the opportunity to secure further international recognition for the country’s main airport.
Voting is being conducted through the official World Travel Awards website, where participants can select their preferred nominees.
Voting links:
World Leading Airport 2026 | World Leading Airport Customer Experience 2026
The winners of the global categories are expected to be announced at the World Travel Awards Grand Final later this year.
A victory in either category would add to VIA’s growing list of regional and international accolades, while further raising the airport’s profile among global aviation and tourism industry stakeholders.
