Maldives Re-opens Before International Tourists On 15th July 2020

At last, the word what enthusiastic global trotters were eagerly waiting is finally out! The Maldives will re-open for international tourists on 15th July 2020.

In an address to the nation dated on June 24, his Excellency President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih announced that Maldives will re-open its borders for international tourists on 15th July 2020. As per the instructions, the resorts, liveaboards, and hotels located at uninhabited islands will be open from the 15th of July, 2020 onwards while Guest Houses and hotels located on inhabited islands shall be only available from 1st August, 2020 onwards.

After the anxiety and uncertainty induced by the novel Corona pandemic began to abate worldwide, the tourism industry of the Maldives is making the arrangements for a grand resume in accordance with the elaborate set of protective measures taking under consideration the safety of tourists and staff working in the sector.

In the light of the fact that the Maldives has been one of few countries that effectively fought the threat of COVID 19 right from the outset and still continue its vigilance, Maldives is certainly the soul holiday destination on earth that you can visit with ease of mind.

The guidelines for the re-starting of the tourism wing of the country, named “Public Health Interventions to Prevent COVID-19 Transmission in the Tourism Sector”, has also been out with all-embracing information for all sectors evolving around tourism. It shall be periodically reviewed and revised considering the situation.

Let us discuss some of the guidelines helpful for tourists knowing.

Things To Notice Before Your Travel To The Maldives

• Private island resorts, liveaboard vessels, and hotels located on uninhabited islands are open for bookings from July 15th, 2020 onwards.
• Hotels and guest houses positioned on inhabited islands shall only be open for reserving from August 1st, 2020.
• Nevertheless, guest houses and hotels on inhabited islands shall be available for housing transiting passengers waiting for domestic transfers under special permits. Transit arrangements can be made through the primary facility where the stay is booked.
  
• Travelers are advised not to venture a Maldives visit in case they have a history of contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID- 19 within the past 14 days. The same is expected from those persons who have a fever or respiratory illnesses such as cough, sore throat, shortness of breath within the past 14 days.
  
• Prior to traveling, travelers are advised to make sure that their booking has been placed with an authentic tourist agent and resort establishment registered with the Ministry of Tourism.
  
• During phase 1 of re-opening, travelers are not allowed to stay at multiple resorts. The entire stay shall have to be enjoyed in one registered establishment or resort. Except for the instances requiring transit arrangements.
  
• Travelers are expected to keep up with the updations and status from their preferred tourist establishments on their websites and mobile applications. Regular official updates on travel to the Maldives are given on the websites of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministery of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives.
  

Make Sure These Things During Your Flight To The Maldives

• Make sure you wear a mask all the time.
• All passengers are required to submit a health declaration card upon arrival; which you can complete filling up onboard the aircraft.
• If a passenger has any sort of illness like fever, cough, or shortness of breath inside the flight, it should be reported to the Health Protection Agency.

Remember Once You Arrived At Velana International Airport, Male;

• As usual, tourists shall be provided a free 30-day tourist visa on arrival.
• Tourists need to present that health declaration card as part of the on-arrival procedure.
• There is no compromise; wear masks everywhere and all the time.
• Observe convenient and prescribed physical distancing.
• Sanitize your hand at the entrance to the arrival terminal.
• It is mandatory that all passengers undergo thermal screening at entry.
• No worry, tourists will not be quarantined unless they have apparent symptoms and illnesses and they don't have to submit any medical test results for entry to the Maldives.
• In case travelers with symptoms of Covid-19 upon arrival, they shall be subject to a PCR test at the traveler’s cost. and they shall be sent to isolation. Isolation shall be arranged at a designated transit facility or at the tourists’ destination resort (depending on the resort policy).
• In case PCR proved positive, the tourist may remain in isolation at the resort or will be put to a designated state-run isolation center. 
• If the PCR test is negative, the tourist shall be exempted from isolation and he can go to the destination resort. If suspiciously symptomatic even after releasing from isolation, such tourists have to comply with restrictions on attending public places at the resorts such as restaurants and gym until the symptoms vanish.
• Contact tracing will be carried out for the symptomatic or confirmed patient to identify co-passengers. If the tourist identifies to be one among the contacts, he shall be quarantined in their destination resorts until the patient's PCR test result is known. If negative, contacts will be released from quarantine.
• Tourist with a history of contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 within 14 days prior to arrival, according to the passenger health declaration card, he shall be checked on by the doctor at the airport clinic upon arrival. If asymptomatic and clean, he/she will be put in quarantine. If symptomatic, he must be PCR-tested and will be sent to a designated facility for isolation.
• Having the contact tracing app “TraceEkee” installed on the mobile phones of all tourists is highly encouraged.
• There are restrictions on travel within the Maldives for tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourists should consider the rules and regulations set up by the Health Protection Agency (HPA)on inter-island travel.
• You can expect random testing done by local health authorities at no cost. Be co-operative!

While Your Departure From Maldives!

• Tourists tested positive should inform the news to the resort within 14 days of departure from the resort.
• Tourists will have to go through an exit screening before your departure from the resort/hotel/ guest house.
• The exit screening process shall record any history of fever or respiratory symptoms such as cough or shortness of breath within the prior 14 days. Temperature scanning shall be done to know the prevalence of any fever. Plus, tourists in quarantine or isolation shall not be granted departure until they are recovered.
• If the tourist is diagnosed with fever or symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 within the prior 14 days, the person has to undergo PCR testing for COVID-19.
• In case the tourists need Covid-19 test results to go back to their country of origin or another destination, there are testing services available in the Maldives.