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Canada grants over $71k to help coronavirus-hit Maldives vulnerable communities
Canada has granted CAD 100,000 ($71,129/ MVR 1 million) to support the Maldives efforts to provide basic services to the homeless and the most vulnerable communities impacted by coronavirus outbreak.
Maldivian foreign minister Abdulla Shahid and the Canadian high commissioner to the Maldives David McKinnon signed the grant agreement at a virtual ceremony held Monday afternoon.
Shahid thanked his Canadian counterpart François-Philippe Champagne and Karina Gould, Canada’s international development minister, for the “extraordinary generosity to the Maldives.”
“Canada’s gesture of goodwill to the Maldives is yet another example of solidarity that Canada is always known for; caring for others, especially the most vulnerable when such care is most needed,” he said.
High commissioner McKinnon commended Maldives’ efforts to support the most vulnerable populations, especially during a global pandemic.
“Canada is very pleased to be able to support the timely delivery of essential supplies and services to vulnerable communities and individuals in Maldives,” he said.
The project, implemented by the social services ministry, is expected to directly support 400 vulnerable individuals, and strengthen the capacity of government agencies to provide further assistance.
The coronavirus outbreak has hit the Maldivian economy hard, as travel restrictions and other preventive measures affect the country’s lucrative tourism industry, which contributes the bulk of the island nation’s state revenue and foreign reserves.
Before the pandemic, the government had been bullish about tourism prospects, targeting two million, high-spending holidaymakers this year after last year’s record 1.7 million.
However, tourist arrivals saw a year-over-year decline of 22.8 per cent in the first 10 days of March. Officials say the number of tourist arrivals to the Maldives could drop by half in 2020.
All international airlines have suspended scheduled operations to the Maldives, as the island nation enforced a blanket suspension of on-arrival visa in late March in a bid to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Even before the visa suspension, the Maldives had closed its borders to arrivals from some of the worst-hit countries, including mainland China, Italy, Bangladesh, Iran, Spain, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Visitors from three regions of Germany (Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg), two regions of France (Île-de-France and Grand Est) and two regions of South Korea were also banned from entering the country.
All direct flights to and from China, Italy, South Korea and Iran were also cancelled.
Cruise ships and foreign yachts were also banned from docking at any of the country’s ports.
With arrival numbers falling and the visa suspension in effect, several resorts across the Maldives had been closed.
Tourism has been the bedrock of the Maldives’ economic success. The $5 billion-dollar economy grew by 6.7 per cent in 2018 with tourism generating 60 per cent of foreign income.
However, the government is at present projecting a possible 13 per cent economic contraction this year — an estimated $778 million hit.
The government had announced plans to shave MVR 5 billion ($324 million) off state expenditure and reduce the total state expenditure for the year to MVR 30 billion ($1.944 billion) from the approved MVR 38.7 billion ($2.5 billion).
Austerity measures include a 20 per cent cut on salaries and allowances of all political appointees, 25-35 per cent cuts on salaries and allowances of public sector employees, and 30-70 per cent cuts across travel, training, renovations and capital equipment budgets.
The Maldives is also looking to borrow $233.37 million from international lenders to plug the gap in balance of payments stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.
Funds already pledged by international lenders include $28.9 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), $20 million from the OPEC Fund for International Development, $17.3 million from the World Bank, and $3.28 million from the European Union.
In the meantime, the government will borrow MVR 4.2 billion ($272 million) under an overdraft facility at the central bank to cover state expenses and maintain public services amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
On March 8, Maldives reported its first cases of the novel coronavirus, as two hotel employees tested positive for Covid-19 at a luxury resort in the archipelago.
Eighteen more cases — all foreigners working or staying resorts and liveaboard vessels except five Maldivians who had returned from abroad — were later identified.
A six-case cluster of locals, detected in capital Male on April 15, confirmed community transmission of the coronavirus. Several more clusters have since been identified, bringing the total number of confirmed case in the Maldives to 1,094.
Four deaths have been reported and 59 have made full recoveries. Five remain in intensive care.
The Maldives announced a state of public health emergency on March 12, the first such declaration under a recent public health protection law.
The public health emergency declaration has allowed the government to introduce a series of unprecedented restrictive and social distancing measures, including stay-at-home orders in capital Male and its suburbs, a ban on inter-island transport and public gatherings across the country, and a nationwide closing of government offices, schools, colleges and universities.
Non-essential services and public places in the capital such as gyms, cinemas and parks have also been shut.
Restaurants and cafes in the capital have been asked to stop dine-in service and switch to takeaway and delivery.
A nationwide shutdown of all guesthouses, city hotels and spa facilities located on inhabited islands is also in effect.
ELE|NA marked World Asthma Day with a series of wellness activities across its properties, focusing on the role of breath in overall wellbeing.
The programme was designed to highlight the connection between breathing, movement and daily health practices. According to the company, the initiative aimed to position respiratory health as an integral part of routine wellness rather than a purely clinical concern.
Activities began with guided breath awareness sessions combined with stretching exercises. These sessions focused on controlled movement and breathing techniques intended to improve mobility and support more regulated breathing patterns. The approach was structured to help participants reduce tension and restore a steady physical rhythm.
The programme also included Floating Sound Healing sessions, where participants were positioned on water while exposed to therapeutic sound frequencies. The sessions were designed to support relaxation and mental focus through controlled sensory input.
The overall programme combined breathwork, movement and sound-based therapy as part of a structured wellness approach. ELE|NA indicated that these practices were intended to support awareness, relaxation and physical balance.
The company operates across 12 properties, including OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI, OZEN LIFE MAADHOO, OBLU SELECT Sangeli, OBLU SELECT Lobigili, OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi, VARU by Atmosphere, OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO and RAAYA by Atmosphere, as well as properties in India.
Through the initiative, ELE|NA presented its wellness framework as extending beyond spa treatments, incorporating routine practices centred on breathing, movement and relaxation.
Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is offering guests access to a range of dive sites in South Malé Atoll through its Dive Free programme, aimed at divers seeking structured and accessible diving experiences during their stay.
Located approximately 45 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the resort provides proximity to multiple dive sites within a 10 to 30-minute boat radius. The surrounding waters are known for varied reef structures, current-driven channels and regular marine life encounters, allowing for multiple dives per day.
The Dive Free programme is available to guests staying three nights or more, offering up to two complimentary scuba dives per day for up to two certified divers per villa.
According to Dive Centre Manager Ibrahim Shaan, the location enables access to a range of dive environments within a short distance, including reef and channel dives. He noted that sites such as Kandooma Thila can be reached within minutes, while additional sites offering different conditions are accessible within half an hour.
Director of Marketing and Sustainability Sharon Garrett stated that the programme is designed to integrate diving into the overall guest experience, reducing both time and cost considerations for certified divers.
Water conditions in the area remain suitable for diving throughout the year, with visibility often exceeding 20 metres. The dive sites accessible from the resort include:
- Kandooma Thila, a coral-covered pinnacle known for sightings of reef sharks and eagle rays
- Guraidhoo Corner, a channel dive site with strong currents attracting schools of fish and larger species
- Cocoa Corner, featuring reef walls and drop-offs with occasional pelagic encounters
- Kuda Giri Wreck, a sheltered site with a wreck and reef supporting reef fish and macro life
- Kandooma Caves, characterised by overhangs and reef formations with diverse marine species
Additional nearby sites include Manta Point, Lhosfushi, Medhu Faru and Waggiri, offering a mix of reef and channel diving, with seasonal manta ray sightings.
The resort operates a PADI five-star dive centre with guided excursions and access to multiple sites within short travel distances. The Dive Free programme is positioned as an option for divers seeking to maximise time in the water without the need for domestic transfers, providing direct access to dive locations from a single island base.
Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives has introduced a curated Eid al-Adha offering aimed at travellers seeking a structured yet flexible way to mark the occasion in a resort setting.
Branded “Island Celebrations: Eid – Connect in Paradise”, the experience is positioned for guests from the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, with a focus on shared experiences, personal time and engagement with the surrounding environment.
Located approximately 20 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the resort is accessible for short-stay and family travel during peak holiday periods. The property features 120 beach and overwater villas, alongside an overwater spa, house reef and multiple dining outlets.
The Eid experience will begin with an in-villa welcome offering, including Arabic sweets, dates and fruit. The programme is structured around a series of optional activities rather than a fixed schedule. These include lagoon-based experiences, daily yoga sessions at sunrise and sunset, spa treatments, sunset cruises and dining options designed for private or shared settings.
The resort has indicated that the programme is intended to allow guests to engage with activities at their own pace, rather than follow a defined itinerary.
In line with the preferences of Muslim travellers, the resort has incorporated halal-friendly dining options, flexible meal arrangements and an expanded range of non-alcoholic beverages. Villa layouts are also designed to support privacy.
Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives has reported guest ratings of 9.2 out of 10 on halal travel platforms, reflecting demand within this segment.
The introduction of the Eid programme aligns with broader trends in the Maldives tourism sector, where travel experiences are increasingly structured around personalisation, cultural considerations and smaller-scale experiences.
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