New Delhi: The government of Maldives has temporarily barred Indian tourists from staying at local inhabited island hotels and guesthouses.
Indian tourists are also required to have negative PCR test for COVID-19 prior to entry into Maldives, the Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC) said in a press release. These steps are temporary and have been taken “in relation to the rising COVID-19 cases in India”, the press release added. Restrictions have come into effect from April 27 itself.
“Indian travellers arriving in the Maldives are restricted from staying at guesthouses and hotels located in local inhabited islands. The restriction does not apply to resorts and liveaboards,” MMPRC said. The restriction does not apply to guesthouses and hotels that are located in secluded areas of the Inhabited Islands.
Indian tourists who are already checked into hotels and guesthouses will be allowed to stay at the facilities until the completion of their booking duration. Tourists are able to spend their holiday in Maldives at resorts as normal.
Indian travellers arriving in the Maldives from India including travellers exceeding 24 hours transit periods must hold a negative PCR test for COVID-19 prior to entry into Maldives. The restriction also applies for tourists who have completed the prescribed dose(s) of a COVID-19 vaccine. The PCR test must be conducted not more than 96 hours prior to the travellers scheduled time of departure from the first port of embarkation en-route to the Maldives from India. In addition, travellers must undertake a PCR test for COVID-19 maximum 72 hours prior to departure from Maldives.
Maldivian citizens and work permit holders to Maldives from India are required to undertake a PCR test for COVID-19 within 24 hours of arrival to Maldives and must complete a mandatory 10-day quarantine period followed by a negative PCR test result at the end of this quarantine period. Children below one-year-old are exempted from the aforementioned requirement. (UNI)