Following President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s announcement earlier this week that the Maldivian borders will be reopening on the 15 of July, the President today has met with several stakeholders representing a range of institutions to discuss how this can be done safely and efficiently.

The reopening of the borders will provide much needed relief to the nation’s vital tourism industry and is considered a major step towards recovery and rebuilding after COVID-19 epidemic.

Senior officials from a range of stakeholder institutions including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Tourism, Finance, and Economic Development along with Immigration Authorities, Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) and the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), updated the President on their ongoing preparations to meet the July deadline.

Discussions also included the proposed guidelines on prioritizing the safety and health of both incoming visitors and Maldivian residents when restarting the country’s tourism industry.

The guidelines encompass safety measures in place at resorts and airports along with the procedures in place to screen for symptoms of COVID-19.