Financial assistance offered to businesses by the Maldives government is insufficient, says Association of Travel Agents (ATA).

During a panel discussion on RaajjeTV's "Raasthaa" program, a member of ATA stated that measures taken by the government are appropriate for the circumstances, however, additional assistance is required for businesses to overcome the economic impact of Covid-19.

Highlighting that the current measures allow employers to remunerate workers only for the current time being, the association member claimed that future assistance will be needed.

Shedding light on the economic impact on the tourism industry, the association noted that the industry has never seen such a downfall before but that such circumstances can be overcome through collaboration with the relevant government authorities.

The Maldives' economy has been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Likewise, the suspension of on-arrival visas on March 27th has brought the country's tourism industry to a near standstill.