Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom has announced plans to hold discussions next month to restart domestic tourism in the Maldives.
Domestic tourism has come to a halt in the Maldives due to the Health Protection Agency (HPA)’s guideline which requires locals to undergo quarantine for 10 days when travelling to another island. Although guesthouses resumed operations in October, locals have not been able to visit guesthouses due to the restrictions. As a result, guesthouses are currently operated with tourist bookings only.
Speaking on restarting domestic tourism, Tourism Minister Dr. Mausoom said restarting domestic tourism is important for the Maldives in both social and economic perspectives. He said discussions will be held with relevant authorities and stakeholders next month to restart domestic tourism in the Maldives. He also assured domestic tourism will be restarted after implementing the necessary measures to ensure health and safety of the public.
The tourism ministry has recently reopened the opportunity for locals to book their vacations in resorts. However, resorts are expensive, and most locals are unable to afford a resort vacation.
As per the statistics of the tourism ministry, 141 resorts and 264 guesthouses have resumed operations in the Maldives.