The 10th edition of the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2026 has officially kicked off with its pre-event component, SATA Connect & Conversation (C&C), today at Barcelo’ Nasandhura, Maldives. 

SATA C&C brings together South Asia's premier hospitality and travel brands, ranging from top-tier resorts and airlines to agency partners, in an immersive exhibition format. It offers industry stakeholders an invaluable space to highlight emerging innovations, discuss market trends, and foster direct commercial relationships. 

Proceedings commenced with opening addresses from SATA Vice President Suraj Khan, followed by welcome remarks delivered by Mr. Buddhika Hewawasam, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). A central feature of the event was the formal acknowledgment of SATA’s Hospitality Partners, honoring their vital role and hospitality in accommodating the jury panel throughout the SATA 2025 evaluation stage. 

Subsequent sessions included two expert-led panels that examined the changing tourism landscape and offered key insights into industry transformation.

The opening panel explored the future trajectory of the hospitality industry, focusing on guest experiences, technological integration, and revenue optimization strategies. The session featured the following distinguished speakers: 

1. 
   

    Mohammed Hussein Alshaali - Chairman and Co-Founder of Gulf Craft 

   
   


2. 
   

    Ibrahim Shareef - Managing Director  and CEO of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL)

   
   


3. 
   

   Abdulla Ghiyas Riyaz - Chairperson of Visit Maldives Corporation

   
   


4. 
   

    Jasim Janah - Group Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Hotels & Resorts Investment Maldives (HARIM)

   
   

The second panel was a conversation pertaining to the collective efforts in regional tourism with important decision makers. Below are the esteemed panelists:

1. 
   

   Ugyen Dorji - Vice Chairman, Hotel & Restuarant Association of Bhutan - HRAB

   
   


2. 
   

   Enric Reina Canitrot - Hotel Manager, Barceló Nasandhura Malé, Maldives

   
   


3. 
   

   Nazoomi Azhar - General Manager, Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Sri lanka

   
   


4. 
   

    VK  Karthi - General Manager, Crowne Plaza Dhaka Gulshan, Bangladesh

   
   

The final panel offered a discussion on leveraging the digital agenda and artificial intelligence to redesign tourism. Joining the discussion were: 

1. 
   

    Abdulla Yasir - MD & CEO, Visit Maldives Corporation

   
   


2. 
   

   Amal Goonetilleke - Consultant Hospitality Marketing - Sri Lanka & Maldives

   
   


3. 
   

   Tek Mahat Bahadhur - CEO , Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN)

   
   


4. 
   

    Jyoti Mayal - Chairperson of the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) 

   
   

The program also included insightful presentations from Iuliana Rusei, Chief Underwriting Officer of Allied Insurance Company of the Maldives, and Ikram Hassan, CEO of FI-ES Systems.

Set for Thursday, October 8th, at Barceló Nasandhura, Maldives, the highly awaited SATA Gala will commence one of South Asia’s most prominent tourism and hospitality events.