A country where the economy is heavily reliant on tourism, the Maldives is facing one of its biggest challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But there are signs to be cautiously optimistic.
The Pre-pandemic Period
Before the outbreak, the country was one of Asia’s most popular holiday destinations with 1.7 million tourists arriving in 2019. Be it staying at private island resorts, enjoying water sports or visiting the top places to see in Maldives, travellers from around the world had much to enjoy at this destination.
The Arrival of COVID-19
However, the spread of COVID-19 in Maldives has put on hold its hopes of achieving two million tourist arrivals in 2020. The pandemic severely hit the tourism industry and in doing so, the local economy which heavily depends on it to contribute to the gross domestic product and to provide employment for locals.
Gearing Up For the Challenges
However, the tourism industry has been resilient while adapting to face the challenges ahead. Certain properties including those of brands such Adaaran Resorts Maldives have put stringent safety protocols in place as well; this includes checking the temperature of guests before they arrive, monitoring the temperatureof staff and guests daily and forming a task force at resorts with therespective resident doctors.
Plans Moving Forward
While the situation within the country is being continually assessed, plans have been put into place to slowly ease restrictions. The government is working on providing relief packages to the private sector, while it has also been in dialogue with India on ways to contain the pandemic and foster economic recovery.
