President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Tuesday visited Velana International Airport (VIA) to check ongoing preparations to safely reopen the Maldives’ borders on July 15th. The president was accompanied by relevant cabinet ministers and institutional representatives.
The Maldives closed its borders to tourists on March 27 as a precautionary measure against COVID-19. After consulting with his cabinet, health authorities and tourism stakeholders, July 15th was deemed an appropriate date to allow tourists back into the country under a new normal. This will be done with strict precautions, and health and safety protocols in place, to protect tourists and residents from COVID-19.
Accordingly, the Government has prepared comprehensive safety measures to be enforced at ports and guest facilities to protect visitors and residents from the coronavirus. Airport management briefed the President on the measures in place to screen passengers for COVID-19 symptoms, as well as on their testing capacity, and protocols in place to ensure social distancing and good hygiene.
After four months of the borders remaining closed, the Maldives is looking forward to once again welcoming back tourists. 30 resorts will be operational at the time of border reopening, while several other resorts are lined up to resume operation next month.
