Ministry of Tourism has revealed 29 guesthouses have been permitted to resume operations since guesthouses were officially permitted to reopen on October 15.
Guesthouses in the atolls were officially allowed to reopen on October 15, 212 days after local guesthouses suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the ministry announced guesthouses in the atolls will be permitted to resume operations upon confirmation of the fulfilment of the health and safety standards set by Health Protection Agency (HPA) and the approval from the respective island council.
Statistics of the tourism ministry revealed 29 guesthouses in 9 islands have been permitted to reopen as of October 18. As such, guesthouses in Fohdhoo in Noonu Atoll, Huraa, Maafushi and Guraidhoo in Kaafu Atoll, Mathiveri, Ukulhas and Thoddoo in Alifu Alifu Atoll as well as Thinadhoo and Fulidhoo in Vaavu Atoll have been permitted to reopen.
In the guidelines issued regarding the resumption of guesthouse services, HPA stated guesthouses located within the premises of a household in which people are living in will not be allowed to resume services yet. HPA stated tourists staying in guesthouses are also not permitted to enter any local households in the island.
While tourists are permitted to enter cafes and restaurants in the island, such establishments must implement special safety measures before serving tourists. Tourists are required to wear face masks at all times when in public.
There are over 600 guesthouses registered in the Maldives, accounting for 20% of tourist beds in the country. The tourism ministry revealed 10% of all tourist arrivals in 2019 were recorded from guesthouses. Meanwhile, more than 6,000 jobs are directly linked to guesthouse businesses in the Maldives.