Maldives reopened its borders to visitors on July 15, 110 days after imposing a blanket ban on entry of travellers as a precautionary measure against the spread of Covid-19.

According to the Maldives immigration department, more than 5,000 tourists visited the Maldives from July 15 to August 15.

Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA), the world’s largest seaplane operator, carried the majority of those tourists from Velana International Airport to their dream resort and back.

“TMA is considered to be the backbone of tourism infrastructure in the country and has always played a pivotal role in enhancing and facilitating the growth of tourism industry in the Maldives,” a statement read.

“As the tourist arrivals are increasing over time, TMA assures that it will continue to support the tourism industry with the transfers of the tourists, while ensuring flight safety, superior hygiene and comfort for the tourists.”

TMA has implemented enhanced safety and hygiene measures in the ‘new normal’ of air travel.

As part of the series of stringent measures taken by TMA, all passengers are provided with a complimentary travel hygiene kit, which consists of a face mask, gloves and a hand sanitiser, at the time of check-in.

Face masks are mandatory for all passengers during their journey and multiple hand sanitiser units have been placed at various high touch points for the convenience and better hygiene of passengers. All touch points through the journey are regularly disinfected in accordance with global heath recommendations and policy guidelines.

The Maldives reopened its borders to visitors on July 15.

With the border reopening, resorts and hotels on uninhabited islands as well as liveaboard vessels are now allowed to host tourists (please see a rolling list of resort reopenings here).

Guesthouses and hotels located on inhabited islands will be allowed to reopen later. Passengers on cruise ships and yachts will be barred from disembarking at inhabited islands until then.

Thirty-day free on-arrival visa will be issued to all tourists with a confirmed booking for a stay at any registered tourist facility in the country. The entire holiday has to be booked at a single facility except for transit arrangements.

There will be no mandatory quarantine or testing on arrival. Tourists will only have to complete a health declaration form.

But visitors with symptoms of the Covid-19 respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus or those travelling with someone who has similar symptoms will be tested at their expense.