The Ministry of Tourism (“MoT”) has published a guideline for restarting tourism in the Maldives, which outlines the essential standards which have to be met, by the stakeholders of the industry, in order to resume the operations of tourist facilities, as the borders of the country reopen. This overview provides a brief summary of the requirements laid down in the aforesaid guideline.
General Heath Precautions to be taken
Tourists, all staff and representatives who attend to travellers on behalf of tourist
facilities must maintain the following protective measures:
• Ensure minimal contact and maintain a distance of at least 1 meter.
• Practice hand hygiene and use sanitizers.
• Wear gloves while handling luggage.
• Wear a mask at all times.
• Tourist facility representative are required to install the contact tracing application
“Trace Ekee” while visitors are encouraged to install the app.
• Receiving staff at airport must be provided with the required PPE by the tourist
facility.
Arrival to the Maldives
(1) Prior to Arrival
Bookings
• A confirmed booking at a registered tourist facility must be obtained.
• Booking must be made at one facility.
• Exemption: transit requirements.
Requirements for on-arrival visa procedure
• Confirmed pre-booking at a registered tourist facility.
• Provision of emergency contact.
• Visa extension to be provided free of charge for tourists who prefers long stay and
those who require extension due to quarantine measures.
(2) Arrival
On-arrival procedure
• Temperature checks and screening will be conducted at the point of entry, with
special attention to any passengers showing symptoms of COVID-19.
• PCR tests will be conducted on tourists if one member of a travelling group is
exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, the cost of which must be borne by the tourist or
tourist facility at which the booking was made.
• Government will bear the cost of any random PCR tests.
• If any samples test positive, subject to the medical condition of the tourist, the
tourist facility will be given the option whether to accommodate the tourist in their
designated isolation arrangements or to opt for government isolation facilities. The
cost of any shall be fully borne by the tourist facility.
• At the Velaana International Airport (VIA), symptomatic tourists and those who
require PCR test will be isolated and accommodated at a transit facility until
receipt of the PCR test results. If tourists who test positive on arrival are not
accepted by vessels, guest houses and hotels on uninhabited islands, the tourist
facility they were booked to stay on the Maldives will have to bear the associated
costs.
Luggage collection & receiving of tourists by tourist facility staff
• Luggage should be tagged for easier management.
• A distance of at least 1 meter must be maintained at luggage collection areas.
• Trolleys will be disinfected by VIA staff and kept and marked separately.
• All tourists must be met by an authorised staff of the tourist facility at which they
have made the booking.
• Basic details for check-in to be collected upon receiving the tourist.
• Representatives commuting from facilities at inhabited islands are restricted from
traveling to resorts.
• Luggage handlers must wear protective gloves and must practice personal
disinfection procedures after handling the luggage.
Domestic transportation
• Airport Transfers
o Only allowed to be picked-up by pre-booked tourists facilities.
o Transfer vessels or aircrafts must adhere to safety guidelines of HPA.
o A safe distance of at least 1 meter shall be maintained while communicating.
Masks shall be worn and hands must be sanitized before boarding.
o Disinfection procedure approved by HPA must be followed after
disembarkation of passengers.
o HPA protocols must be conformed to whilst transferring tourists with positive
PCR tests, in a separate transfer.
• Transit Movements
o MoT might allow tourists to stay in guest houses and other tourist facilities in
inhabited islands for overnights, under special arrangements.
o Transfer vessels or vehicles must adhere to safety guidelines of HPA.
o Staff shall wear masks and maintain a safe distance of at least 1 meter with all
the guests.
o Arrangement of food & beverages must be made within the premises of the
guest houses or hotels.
o Tourists must comply with any movement restrictions applicable to the island
at the time.
(3) Resorts
Standards for re-opening
• Areas to be allocated for isolation purposes for guests, if and when required.
• Facilities must be allocated and arrangements must be made for staff to self-isolate
when necessary.
• Guest service staff must be trained in the usage of PPE and medically certified PPE
stocks to be maintained.
• Staff to be trained in social distancing procedures, disinfecting procedures and to
wear masks when social distancing is not possible.
• Emergency procedures to be put in place to deal with suspected COVID-19
isolation procedures.
• Resorts shall have medical officers on site who have undergone all HPA certified
training and all resort clinics must comply with minimum standards applicable.
• Resorts to appoint a safety manager responsible for communication and
compliance regarding COVID-19 measures.
• Resorts may develop their own internal guidelines adhering to basic standards of
MoT Guidelines.
• Resorts must submit a health and safety plan prior to opening, for approval from
MoT.
Staffing
• All staff arriving in resorts from overseas before 15 July 2020, shall be quarantined
for 14 days.
• All staff arriving from islands not under monitoring can report to work without any
restriction.
• All staff arriving from islands under monitoring can only report to work after being
quarantined for 14 days.
• The only staff that will be able to leave a resort without being subjected to the
national guidelines recommended by HPA will be staff travelling to airports for the
purposes of escorting arriving and departing tourists.
• Airline crew will be able to exit resorts without undergoing COVID-19 screening.
• Daily workers, entertainers and artists will be able to work and perform at resorts
without any additional restrictions but will be subject to the same requirements of
testing as tourists from the date of opening the guest houses, hotels and inhabited
islands.
• Movement between resorts and islands will be permitted without quarantine
requirements from the date of opening of guest houses.
Check-in procedures
• Tourists who have positive PCR results must be escorted directly to rooms once at
resort as per HPA guidelines and are to remain in isolation unless advised otherwise
by HPA.
• Minimal staff to be involved when receiving tourists.
• Safe distance of at least 1 meter to be maintained between tourists and staff at all
times.
Common facilities
• Social distancing to be observed.
• Frequently contacted surfaces to be disinfected regularly.
• Food and beverage service to be served with safety measures set forth by HPA to
prevent transmission of COVID-19.
• Utilisation of all common areas to be subjected to HPA guidelines.
Emergency procedures
• Any persons displaying COVID-19 symptoms to be immediately reported to the
medical staff on site and the PCR test must be carried out.
• Any person displaying COVID-19 symptoms to be immediately isolated with
immediate effect until further guidance from HPA and MoT.
• Isolation rooms to be maintained and serviced under HPA guidelines.
• Staff to remain isolated until all symptoms clear up.
• Tourists will be allowed to exit isolation with restrictions on utilising the common
facilities of the resort if the test results are negative.
• HPA will decide if any individual requires transferring for further observation and
treatment should the need arise.
• If a staff tests positive, they will be taken to a government managed facility and the
resort must ensure all associated costs are met.
(4) Check-out from tourist facilities
Check-out procedures
• No symptoms/no positive PCR result = no restriction on guest checkout.
• Masks to be used during transfers.
• Tourists in isolation may only checkout as per HPA guidelines.
• Exemption: tourists who require transfer to a government facility under MoT
guidance (facility shall bear all associated costs).
Room cleaning
• HPA guidelines to be followed in cleaning and disinfecting rooms used for
quarantine and isolation.
(5) Tourist Vessels
Procedures for tourist vessels
• Calling into harbour & embarking & disembarking of staff/tourists allowed only at
designated harbours.
• Vessel to be disinfected as per HPA guidelines after departure of guests and prior
to embarkation of new guests.
• Crew going ashore on inhabited islands are subjected to HPA guidelines on
quarantine and COVID-19 screening.
• Loading of supplies & bunkering to be conducted at designated jetties with social
distancing.
• Crew shall wear masks when in direct contact with tourists in enclosed spaces.
• Vessel operator to facilitate isolation of guest if guest presents COVID-19
symptoms.
• Tourist vessels to submit health and safety plan to MoT for approval before
resuming operations.
Emergency procedures
• Any flu-like symptoms?
o Shall be immediately reported to the captain.
o Captain shall inform HPA & MoT and make arrangements for sampling & testing
with HPA.
o Shall be isolated immediately.
o Shall be released if test results are negative - but must wear masks at all times
when in contact with others, until all symptoms clear up.
o If the results are positive, shall be transferred to a government facility for
monitoring and treatment.
• Isolation rooms to be maintained and serviced as per HPA standards.
Cruise ships & foreign flagged yachts
• Cruise ships and yachts arriving in Maldives to be exempt from these guidelines -
must adhere to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulations and
guidelines.
• Not allowed to embark or disembark passengers on or off inhabited islands till 1
August 2020.
• Exceptions:
o Can embark/disembark at international airports (with valid air tickets if
disembarking).
o Vessels which do not fall under IMO regulations may disembark onto island
with approval from Port Health.
• Entire crew and passenger complement to declare symptoms to local health
authority/responsible person at point of disembarkation
o Prior authorisation required for those who are symptomatic.
• Screening and declaration of symptoms to be conducted at first port of call or
clearance.
• Vessel’s agent (where not appointed, operator of the vessel) shall bear all
associated costs of isolating/treating a passenger/crew member at a government
facility.
(6) Guest houses
Procedures for guest houses
• Indicative date for opening – 1 August 2020 (subject to change based on national
situation).
• Resident doctor must have undergone HPA certified training in the following, prior
to guest houses in the jurisdiction reopening:
o COVID-19 management;
o Isolation procedures; and
o Sampling
• Must provide for isolation of guest in the guest’s resident room as per HPA
standards.
• Tourists may only travel to their guest house upon receiving the results of the on-
arrival PCR test.
• Contact tracing records must be maintained by:
o Vessels carrying tourists during their stay; and
o Places of business serving tourists.
• Social distancing guidelines to be followed by places of business serving tourists.
• Tourists must maintain social distancing when traveling to local islands.
• Guest houses to submit a health and safety plan to MoT for approval prior to
restarting operations.
Emergency Procedures
• Any flu-like symptoms to be immediately reported to local health authorities and
HPA.
(7) General
Easing of restrictions
• Easing of entry procedures and restrictions applied to resorts and vessels in
lodging tourists, as set herewith effective from 1 September 2020 (subject to
extension by government).
• Operators will be notified of any changes after fortnightly review of the guideline.
Recreation activities
• Additional safety measures for diving and water sports to be governed by HPA
approved regulations.
• If showing symptoms, tourists shall be restricted from taking part in such activities
as diving or excursions until all symptoms fully clear, regardless of testing negative
for COVID-19.
Responsibility for isolation & quarantine
• Should the tourist require it, the tourist facility where the tourist booked his stay
upon entry into the Maldives shall bear all associated costs of quarantine, isolation,
or treatment in a government facility.
Compliance with this guideline
• Applicable to all tourist facilities (including those already in operation) prior to
accepting new guests.
Hotels
• Located on uninhabited islands - same procedure as resorts to be followed.
• Located on inhabited islands - same procedure as guest houses to be followed.
(8) Tentative opening dates
• Resorts, marinas, tourist vessels, and tourist hotels on uninhabited islands - 15 July
2020
• Tourist guest houses and tourist hotels on inhabited islands - 1 August 20
Disclaimer:
*This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide and should not be relied upon or construed as a legal opinion or legal advice regarding any specific issue, nor is this information intended to create, or receipt of it does not create, an attorney-client relationship between the reader and the firm.