Maldives opening soon for tourism !

The Indian Ocean island nation is planning to open itself up to tourists from around the world with no covid19 reservations whatsoever starting as early as this July. This is a total reversal of the number of Covid-19-related travel restrictions the country had announced less than two weeks ago.   

Starting July, tourists from all countries will be able to visit the Maldives visa-free, with no Covid-19 testing on either end of their flight to the destination, stay for as long as they like and not bother about self-quarantine either. So, in effect, it is back to business-as-usual in the tropical paradise, it seems. The Ministry of Tourism put out a notice saying “see you in July” when it says “the sun will shine in the Maldives again”. 

This marks a departure from the requirements  the government was mulling only late last month. These included many firsts: a tourist visa that would cost around $100 (Rs7,600), a minimum 14-night stay, as well as producing a Covid-19 test result from no more than one week before arrival. Tourists would have had to be tested again when they arrived in the country at an additional cost of $100. They would then have to quarantine in their hotel or resort room till they got their test results back in a few hours time.  

Arrival at the airport:

* Tourists travelling to Maldives will be provided a free 30-day tourist visa on arrival.
* A health declaration card will be required as part of the on-arrival procedure.
* All arriving passengers should wear masks
* Physical distancing should be ensured.
* Hand sanitization at entry to the arrival terminal.
* All arriving passengers must undergo thermal screening at entry.
* Tourists will not be subject to any quarantine measures upon arrival to the Maldives.
* Tourists will not be required to submit any medical test results for entry to the Maldives. However, travellers presenting with symptoms of Covid-19 upon arrival will be subject to a PCR test at the traveller’s cost. The tourist will be sent to a designated facility for isolation. 
Isolation will be done at a designated transit facility or at the tourists’ destination resort (depending on the resort policy). If the result of the PCR test is positive, the tourist may continue isolation at the resort or will be transferred to a designated state-run isolation facility.

Departure from your place of stay:

* Tourists will have to undergo an exit screening prior to departure from the place of stay.
* The exit screening questionnaire should document any history of fever or respiratory symptoms such as cough or shortness of breath within the prior 14 days. It should be ensured that the guest is not under quarantine or isolation. Temperature should be checked to exclude fever.
* Routine testing for COVID-19 is not required prior to departure, however during exit screening if any tourist is found to have fever or symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 within the prior 14 days, they should undergo PCR testing for COVID-19.
* Testing services are available in the Maldives for tourists who require Covid-19 test results to return to their countries of origin or another destination.

Maldives government website 

https://twitter.com/MoTmv/status/1270734855672922113?s=20Maldives