9th South Asian Travel Awards to Be Held in Colombo This September

The 9th edition of the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) will take place from September 19 to 20, 2025, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, bringing together top tourism stakeholders from six countries across the region, including the Maldives.

This year, the event has received over 500 nominations, with 18 tourism-related organizations endorsing the awards—among them, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. The SATA Awards recognize excellence in hospitality, travel, and tourism across South Asia.

At last year’s ceremony held in Kathmandu, the Maldives secured 30 awards, including the prestigious Visitors’ Choice “Leading Beach Destination” title. The 2024 edition awarded a total of 144 recognitions, comprising 51 Gold Awards and 93 Silver Awards, from over 400 nominations.

The SATA Awards, first launched in 2016, continue to honour outstanding contributors to South Asia’s growing tourism industry. Participating countries include the Maldives, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.