Champa brothers honored with SATA ‘Face of South Asia’ awards

The Champa brothers, Mohamed ‘Uchu’ Moosa and Hussain ‘Champa’ Afeef, have been honored by the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) with the ‘Face of South Asia’ awards, in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the growth and development of the tourism sector.

The Maldivian tourism pioneers were presented with the awards by Suraj Khan, vice president of SATA, in a ceremony held at Meeru Maldives Resort & Spa on Sunday morning.

Uchu, the chairman of Champa Brothers, expressed delight and gratitude upon receiving the award.

A trailblazer in the Maldivian tourism industry, Uchu’s profound understanding of the evolving needs of tourists and his passion for hospitality have cemented his status as an iconic figure in the Maldives.

Under his leadership, Champa Brothers has grown into a major player in the tourism and hospitality sectors, both in the Maldives and internationally.

His business portfolio spans industries such as agriculture, fisheries, real estate, water desalination, and financial services, making him a key figure in the country's economic growth.

Uchu has also received special presidential recognition for his environmental conservation efforts in the Maldives.

Champa Afeef also expressed delight upon receiving the award.

“My brother and I worked for the betterment of this country and its people,” he said.

He also spoke about the need to recognize the services of the people working “behind the curtains” in the tourism industry.

Champa Afeef, the chairman of Crown Company, was honored for his pivotal role in the development of the tourism industry.

As one of the pioneers of Maldivian tourism, Champa Afeef's contributions span over five decades of leadership in the industry, with interests in multiple resorts and other international ventures.

He is a key shareholder in KASA Holdings, which is involved in the development of the Gan International Airport in Addu, and Champa Brothers, one of the largest operators in the Maldivian tourism sector.

His involvement with the government includes serving on the Economic Advisory Council to the President of the Maldives and holding the position of vice chairman of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI).

Ibrahim Shiuree, the managing director of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), described the efforts by Uchu and Champa Afeef to introduce tourism in the Maldives in the 1970s as inspirational.

He said that the benefits the current Maldivian generation enjoys today are the result of the hard work they did during their younger days.

“Such awards are truly important. It is important that we give these awards and give them the recognition they deserve,” he said.

The eight edition of the SATA culminated in a vibrant celebration of excellence in the hospitality industry at the gala and awards ceremony held at Aloft Kathmandu Thamel on September 20.

This year, SATA also posthumously honored other trailblazers from South Asia, including Ambica Shrestha and Karna Sakya from Nepal, and Md Shakawath Hossain from Bangladesh. The awards recognized their significant contributions to the tourism industries in their respective countries, further highlighting SATA’s role in celebrating the people who have shaped the tourism landscape across the region.