Heavenly destination plans to offer coronavirus vaccines to attract tourists

In addition to its crystal-clear waters, marine fauna, white sand and the exclusivity of its accommodation, the Maldives will give tourists one more reason to visit the islands: vaccines to prevent coronavirus.

This was announced by Tourism Minister Abdulla Mausoom to CNBC. It is a program called 3V- visit, vaccination and vacation. The goal is to attract travelers so that the country can reach 1.5 million visitors and 10 million overnight stays throughout 2021.

“When we reach the meta this year we will still have a deficit of what the country needs, “he said.” But it’s still much better than what we expect at the end of 2020. “Since January, 350,000 people have entered, most of them from India.

In the Indian Ocean, the South Asian archipelago suffered from the consequences of the pandemic, aggressively since about 67% of its gross domestic product comes directly and indirectly from the tourism sector.

Project and priorities

We are not yet talking about when the 3V project. The government’s priority is to ensure the immunity of all residents, and then to vaccinate foreigners. It was also not specified whether travelers will have to pay for their doses, which laboratory they will come from or whether they will have to register in advance to be able to apply them.

According to Reuters, 51.5% of the premises received at least one dose and 4.8% are already fully vaccinated. Mausoom, explained that nearly 90% of frontline tourism workers have received a first request. “So once the country is vaccinated, we will switch to 3V tourism.”

Even though the vaccine shortage It is becoming a conflict for many countries, the leader does not consider that it can happen in his heavenly place.

“I don’t think supply is a problem in the Maldives because our population is relatively small,” he said. “The quota that we get from the different organizations and friendly countries will also help.”

The doses received came from India, China and the World Health Organization’s Covax program. They will soon receive more from Singapore.

Limits

the the borders have been open since July. The conditions for entering the Maldives are few. Tourists must present a negative PCR test made within 96 hours and a confirmed hotel reservation, according to the Tourism Ministry.

Unlike other countries, there is no need to quarantine, which makes it easier for people to arrive.

The minister revealed that the guests are booking longer stays compared to other years. Mausoom said he hopes the situation continues favorably for the industry and that tourists stay for both the first and second dose.

One phenomenon that is becoming more and more popular is “work”.

“Maldives work it is becoming very fashionable, ”he said. The prevention of going to offices and the help of virtuality, makes it possible to work from anywhere in the world. “You see very wealthy executives, entrepreneurs who come here and are based here.”