The World Bank has stated guesthouses in Maldives are expected to face the biggest loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The World Bank said the guesthouses and its employees will face major losses due to the current situation. World Bank projected the most number of jobs to be vacant from the tourism sector due to the economic impact from the pandemic. The World Bank said while Maldives widely depends of the tourism sector, about 70% of the employees will lose their jobs. Meanwhile, the World Bank forecast the output of the Maldives will decrease by 8.5-13% this year.
Director General of Public Health banned check-in of tourists to all guesthouses and city hotels across the Maldives for an indefinite period from March 17. Tourist arrivals in the Maldives have come to a halt after the administration stopped issuing on-arrival visas in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.