Over 800 tourist accommodation establishments have begun operations across the Maldives so far.
By Wednesday, 30 more guesthouses reopened doors for business over the past week, meaning 504 guesthouses are currently operational with 9,010 beds according to the latest figures published by the Ministry of Tourism.
The ministry revealed that by Wednesday’s end the number of operational beds has risen to 50,070, of which 2,766 are in 141 liveaboard vessels and 36,932 are in 156 resorts.
Over the past week, seven more guesthouses resumed operations in Kaafu atoll, six in Alif Alif atoll, three each in Baa and Vaavu atolls, two in Gaaf Dhaal atoll and one each in Haa Dhaal, Noonu, Lhaviyani, Alif Dhaal, Laamu, Gaaf Alif, and Fuvahmulah City also resumed services. Two guesthouses were reopened anew, in Raa atoll as well.
Maldives has a capacity of 1,050 tourist facilities which include 160 safari vessels, 727 hotels and guesthouses and 163 resorts. This means that of the total facility-capacity, 19 safari vessels, seven resorts, 213 guesthouses and hotels are yet to resume operations.
Guesthouses currently in operation are:
- 10 guesthouses in four islands of Haa Alif atoll,
- Four guesthouses in Haa Dhaal atoll,
- Two guesthouses in Shaviyani atoll,
- Four guesthouses in two islands of Noonu atoll,
- Two guesthouses in two islands of Raa atoll,
- Four guesthouses in four islands of Lhaviyani atoll,
- 31 guesthouses in 10 islands of Baa atoll,
- 204 guesthouses in 10 islands of Kaafu atoll,
- 105 guesthouses in eight islands of Alif Alif atoll,
- 55 guesthouses in eight islands of Alif Dhaal atoll,
- 42 guesthouses in four islands of Vaavu atoll,
- Two guesthouses in Meemu atoll,
- Two guesthouses in Faafu atoll,
- Two guesthouses in Thaa atoll,
- Two guesthouses in two islands of Gaaf Alif atoll,
- One guesthouse in Dhaalu atoll,
- Three guesthouses in one island of Laamu atoll,
- Five guesthouses in four islands of Gaaf Dhaal atoll,
- 16 guesthouses in Fuvahmulah City,
- Eight guesthouses in four islands of Seenu atoll.
Recently, authorities revealed that tourists who have not completed the Covid-19 vaccination will be barred from checking into guesthouses established in residential islands. As such, only those who have passed the limit of 14 days after completing both doses of the vaccine can check in to local guesthouses.
Maldives reopened borders on 15 July 2020, nearly four months since borders were closed and at first, resorts and liveaboard vessels were given the green light to begin operations. Guesthouses outside of the Greater Malé Region were permitted to resume operations on 15 October 2020. Authorities allowed the reopening of guesthouses in the capital region on 14 December 2020.
