“Sun will shine again”: Virtual event to kick-start tourism reopening will go live at 20:00 hours

Maldives is scheduled to hold a virtual event to kick-start the reopening of the country’s tourism industry on Monday night.

The Facebook Live Event, “Maldives: The Sun Will Shine Again” is hosted by Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) in association with the Tourism Ministry, Public Service Media (PSM), Orca Media Group and Mondhu Productions.

The four-hour event will go live at 08:00 pm local time (GMT +5).

The event will be taken part by tourism industry stakeholders along with well-wishers from across the globe.

“We hope to convey our love and hope through this event to show future travelers that the Maldives awaits with arms wide open,” said MMPRC in a statement.

The event will include appearances by international figures, performances by local artists, and a special quiz.

Lucky winners of the quiz stand the chance to win 30 prizes - free holidays in resorts and guesthouses in Maldives.

Maldives identified its first coronavirus case on March 7, and declared a state of public health emergency over the pandemic four days later on March 11. It ceased the issuance of on-arrival visas and closed its borders on March 27.

The Tourism Ministry has announced it plans to reopen the country’s borders to tourists in July, and has provided assurance that visitors will not be charged any additional fees to enter the country.

Tourism Minister Ali Waheed said the country will reopen its borders for tourism in phases, in accordance with safe tourism guidelines drafted by the Tourism Ministry.

Maldives with its limited natural resources is heavily dependent on tourism as a source of income. The coronavirus pandemic has hit the country’s economic hard, resulting in a rise in unemployment, a severe depletion of the State’s income sources - casting a shadow over previously positive economic forecasts.

The coronavirus pandemic has also forced MMRC to evolve and adapt its marketing approaches – with increasing focus on digitalized content – in a bid to maintain Maldives’ foothold as a world-class luxury destination.