Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed and Tourism Minister Ali Waheed Tuesday represented Maldives in the Tourism Webinar organized by the Commonwealth.
The webinar was held to discuss the measures taken due to the lockdown imposed amidst COVID-19 pandemic, immediate actions and future opportunities. Two panel discussions were held to discuss the topics.
The Parliament Speaker joined the panel discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on small island nations’ tourism sector. Malta’s Tourism Minister Julia Fargia, Chairperson of Carnival Cruise, David Dingle, and Chairman of Sandals Resort, Butch Stewart also participated in the panel discussion.
Tourism Minister Ali Waheed represented the Maldives on the panel on Tourism Industry’s Response to COVID-19. Lalith Group's Chairman Jyotsna Suri, Sri Lanka's Hotel Association's President Sanath Ukwatte, CEO of African Parks Peter Fearnhead, and Regional Manager of Qantas Airways Anna Richard also participated in the panel.
The Maldives has suspended international flights and imposed a lockdown in the capital city of Male’ as a precautionary measure against COVID-19. The country's economy has been hit hard as a result of the pandemic, and the inflow of foreign currency has declined significantly. Several businesses have shut down and dozens of people have lost jobs or been furloughed.
