#StepAhead: Maldives Is Planning To Reopen For Tourists Starting July 2020

After being under lockdown for more than two months, parts of the world are slowly opening their borders for international tourists. And guess what, the Maldives is also planning to reopen and welcome tourists back starting July 2020. Kumar Shree

One of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, the Maldives, is planning to reopen for tourists starting next month. The reopening will come paired with a set of travel guidelines to ensure proper monitoring of the COVID-19 guidelines among travellers. The official statement released by the Ministry of Tourism, Maldives reads, “We are planning to reopen our borders for visitors in July 2020.”

 

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The statement also reveals that the Maldives will welcome tourists from Asian countries like China, India, Middle East, Sri Lanka, and South Korea. Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways are expected to operate flights to the Maldives soon. Apart from the ones flying in through commercial flights, tourists coming in from private planes and yachts can also enter the country. On the other hand, Maldives has also made it clear that it will not welcome guests from 12 countries as of now. This list includes the UK, the US, Spain, and Italy.

One of the earlier statements released by the authorities declared that the archipelago will only accept tourists who book for a minimum of 14-day-long vacation. They would also need to pay extra tourist visa charges, landing fees, charges for the Coronavirus test, and other fees as well. However, the latest statement said that guests will not be charged any additional fee to enter the Maldives.

 

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The island country of Maldives relies heavily on tourism, which is responsible for about 28 per cent of its GDP and more than 60 per cent of its foreign reserves. This reopening is a move to revive the sector, as the tourism minister also said that the country cannot be kept closed for such a long duration.

Related: #StepAhead: Italy Has Reopened Its Museums For The Public Post Lockdown