South Asian tourists allowed to transit in Male’ guesthouses

Health Protection Agency (HPA) states that South Asian tourists will be allowed to transit in guesthouses in the Maldivian capital, once the country reopens its borders to tourists from the region this week.

Maldives is scheduled to reopen its resorts to South Asian tourists on July 15. However, guesthouses in residential islands will remain closed to tourists from the region until July 30.

HPA announced on Tuesday that while South Asian tourists will not be allowed to check-in to guesthouses in residential islands, outbound tourists will be allowed to transit in select guesthouses in the Maldivian capital under guidelines set out by the Tourism Ministry.

HPA also said that guidelines for South Asian tourists on check-ins to guesthouses in residential islands will be released before July 30.

Maldives imposed the ban on South Asian work permit holders from entering Maldives on May 9, following a surge in COVID-19 cases in the region, fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant first discovered in India. Restrictions were further tightened with the decision to suspend issuance of on-arrival visa to South Asian travelers on May 13.

Maldives eased the restrictions and reopened for South Asian work permit holders on July 1. They are subject to 14 days of mandatory quarantine and a PCR test to confirm they are negative for COVID-19.