“Many of the resorts had their best ever December in history …” reveals Dr Abdulla Mausoom.
Having practised Covid-safe management policies since July 15, the destination will get a headstart when borders fully open
THE Maldives is betting that its own vaccination programme, the earlier-than-expected global vaccine rollout and the effectiveness of its Covid-safe management policies will stand it in good stead to achieve tourism recovery by the middle of the year and maybe even exceed 2019 levels of 1.7m arrivals and10.7m bed nights.
On February 1, President Ibrahim Solih, who was among the first people to receive the Covishield vaccine based on the AstraZeneca formula, said it planned to vaccinate its population of 540,000 within six months. The tourism sector will receive first priority, along with healthcare. The announcement by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that Britons would be allowed to travel for holidays by May 17 further boosted the island’s confidence.
Minister of Tourism Dr Abdulla Mausoom said since it opened for tourism on July 15 it’s been revising its targets upwards. “We are optimistic because the vaccine rollout came earlier than expected as well as based on the demand that we have. Many of the resorts had their best ever December in history, many markets rebounded, beating pre-Covid levels.
“We are 40% below pre-Covid levels because markets like China, Korea, Japan and Singapore – more than 40% of the market – remain closed. If travel starts from these countries, then we will be in total recovery.”
Said Minister Mausoom, who used to serve as the resident ambassador of the Maldives to Singapore, before his ministerial appointment in August 2020, “We can’t wait for markets in your region to open up. We are so keen to have a flow of tourists from your city (Singapore).”
The Maldives opened for tourism on July 15 “with a flicker of tourists”. By September, it had to revise its target upwards. Initially, it had targeted 500,000 arrivals in 2020 but achieved 555,000. “I was optimistic but it’s been beyond my expectations,” said Minister Mausoom.
According to its daily updates (February 26), it received 92,103 arrivals in January 2021, down 46.9% from 173,347. From February 1-25, it recorded 84,291 arrivals, down 36.5% from 132,812. The numbers are about 40% down, due to the Asia missing link.
India and Russia lead in arrivals, long-term and “work from anywhere” visas in the works
There’s been of course a major shift in markets – India, once number 2, has become the lead market. Russia is in second place. “We have many new markets from Eastern Europe, which are going strong.”
Another change is in the length of stays – the average stay jumped from 7.5 to more than 9.5. “Some were staying so long that it was flouting the law which is designed for three months, so we started giving special extensions to those who wished to stay longer,” he said. It now has plans to extend tourist visas and introduce “work from anywhere” permits.
When it set its initial tourism budget for 2021 last September, it had set the number at 750,000 but by January, it felt bold enough to shoot for 1.5m.
Tourists arriving in the Maldives currently come from markets with fewer restrictions on travel. They require a negative PCR test (taken within 96 hours) to enter. They do not require a PCR test on arrival in the Maldives unless they show symptoms. No quarantine is necessary and “because of the Covid management system in the Maldives, returning tourists do not require quarantine in their home countries”, said Minister Mausoom.
It is this relative ease of entry that has made the Maldives such an in-demand destination when most island destinations remain closed. Its geography also lends itself to natural “bubble wrapping”. Travellers go from point to point, Male to the island. Major airlines such as Qatar and Emirates have increased their flights to the Maldives as well, given it is one of the very few places they can actually fly to with relatively healthy loads.
“Key to have a transparent system with maximum safety and minimum inconvenience”
On March 1, Maldives recorded 186 new cases of Covid-19 infections with a seven-day average of 150. As of March 3, there have been 20,144 infections and 62 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began.
Minister Mausoom said the situation was under control in Male. “There are some restrictions in the city, life is pretty much normal here, and tourists do not spend time in Male, they go straight to their islands.”
He said thus far, there has been no record of transmissions from tourists to locals. “We are physically set up so that each island has its own control measures. Many departing tourists now require negative PCR tests.”
Each day, it receives more than 3,000 arrivals and conducts about 1,300 PCR tests for departing tourists. It also does random testing of resort staff for early detection. “We find positives now and then but we manage it and as days go by, we get better at it and are confident the Maldives remains a safe destination for travellers.”
Having practised Covid-safe management measures now for more than six months, Minister Mausoom said one lesson he’s learnt in managing tourism during a pandemic is to have “basic parameters that are essential to safe set-up to ensure maximum safety to local communities and arrivals”.
“Travellers require negative PCR tests on arrival. If an arrival shows symptoms on arrival, we have set up tourist facilities so they stay away from everyone else but still enjoy their holiday. We have systematic procedures in place to take necessary measures should there be a need for medical attention.”
In the five-and-half months, in which it received 165,000 tourists, three required hospitalisations. “When fit enough, they go back to their holidays within the quarantine system. The main lesson is to have a very transparent system with maximum safety and minimum inconvenience. You do not compromise on safety and over-burden tourists.”
The Maldives has received WTTC Safe Travels stamp. (Image credit: WTTC)The Maldives is among a list of several countries that have received the WTTC Safe Travels stamp, designed “to enable travellers to identify destinations and businesses around the world which adopted its health and hygiene global standardised protocols – so consumers and holidaymakers can experience ‘Safe Travels’.”
“When our population is fully vaccinated and when Europe is vaccinated, the Maldives will be the first country out of the gates and this will probably change the numbers,” said Minister Mausoom. “I expect that by end of May, we should be totally back to pre-Covid levels. Our hope is that as Asia opens, we will surpass existing projections.”
A Singapore-Maldives travel bubble had been proposed by a coalition of Singapore-based travel brands including Expedia, Singapore Airlines and Banyan Tree but remains stalled at the Singapore governmental level.
It is also planning a “vaccine tourism” campaign after its population is fully vaccinated. “Travellers can stay for the time required to get a vaccine. There’s lots of interest for it and we will be actively promoting it.”
Note: Minister Dr Abdulla Mausoom will be speaking at WiT’s first Travel Roadshow on March 25, 6 pm-8 pm Singapore time. Sign up here.
Full details are available at the link below:
Source URL: Google News
