(TAN): The Maldives has banned all tourist arrivals starting today as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across the world, reports said.
According to reports, all on-arrival visas have been suspended from midnight of Friday, March 27. However, individuals with special permission such as diplomats, government officials, and contract workers would be exempt from the ban, reports said.
The announcement was reportedly made from the President’s office, with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih saying the measure was required.
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“We are aware of the impact of our measure; the tourism industry will come to a halt. But this is something we need to do considering the circumstances,” he was quoted by TTG Asia as saying.
The country is in a state of lockdown, with government offices, schools, and universities shut until April 5, as per reports.
The first cases on the island were reportedly spotted when two employees of a luxury resort tested positive for the virus. Both of them had come into contact with an Italian guest who was found to be infected upon his return to Italy in the beginning of this month, reports said.
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The resort, Kuredu Island Resort & Spa, located on the northern reef of Lhaviyani Atoll was locked down after the first cases of the infection on the Indian Ocean group of islands were identified, as per reports. Also, the authorities had reportedly put the entire resort in quarantine as a precaution to ensure safety of all guests and staff.
Maldives’ tourism industry has taken a massive hit as the country depends heavily on the sector – last year, over 1.5 million tourists visited the Maldives, reports said. Over 50 resorts have temporarily shut down in the wake of decline in demand and travel restrictions, as per reports.
