Gov't publicizes guidelines for guesthouse operations amid pandemic

The government has publicized guidelines to be followed upon reopening of guesthouses amid the Novel Coronavirus pandemic.

Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Tourism, Assad Riza made the announcement during the Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC)’s press briefing on Monday night.

Assad revealed that the guidelines were established after discussions with island councils, guesthouse owners as well as industry professionals.

The guidelines include a number of restrictions, in light of which guesthouse operations will not be the same as before the global Covid-19 pandemic surfaced, stressed Assad.

Earlier, the ministry revealed that guesthouses will not be allowed to operate in islands without the consent from island councils. In this regard, it has been made clear that island councils are required to inform the ministry of their consent to allow guesthouse operations under the set guidelines.

There are a number of elements to consider when giving consent to reopen guesthouses, including conducting awareness programs on Covid-19 for the island communities so that they are aware of the guidelines in place.

It has also been revealed that tourist guesthouses will not be allowed to operate in houses or buildings where locals reside, there must be a designated isolation location for mild positive cases among staff and tourists, away from local residents and there must be a designated place for quarantine of contacts among staff and tourists, away from locals as well.

It was earlier established that guesthouses must facilitate quarantine and isolation locations in case the need arises.

Highlighting that guesthouses have been opened across 86 islands, Assad stated that over 6,000 individuals are employed at these establishments. These employees have had their income severely affected due to the pandemic, as guesthouses make up 10 percent of tourist arrivals to the Maldives, according to statistics of the previous year.

The government aims to pave way for local communities to have access to USD when guesthouses begin operations.

Guesthouses across the Maldives were closed on March 17, following the coronavirus outbreak. A few tourist establishments were given the green light to operate in the greater Malé region to accommodate transit passengers and flight crew.

The government is preparing to reopen guesthouses on October 15, which may be revised in light of the evolving Covid-19 situation.

However, guesthouses and tourist establishments across the epicenter, Malé region will remain closed due to spiraling Covid-19 cases. Guesthouses in the region will be given the green light to resume operations once the situation simmers down and the positive rate is maintained well below five percent for a 28-day period.

Before guesthouse operations commence, the prerequisites outlined by the public health authorities must be met, to ensure the safety and security of both tourists and island communities.