Tourists stranded in Maldives running short of funds

In the first half of April, a New York Times article wrote on a couple stranded in Maldives on a “never-ending honeymoon”. They are still stuck there along with hundreds of other tourists, as flights have been cancelled.

“There is nowhere to go. The couple reign like benign yet captive sovereigns over their islet. The days are long and lazy. They sleep in, snorkel, lounge by the pool, repeat,” the NYT wrote.

It may sound like fun to get stranded in a tropical paradise like Maldives, but the tourists are running short of funds.

In an interview to CNN, Ali Waheed, Maldives’ minister for tourism, said there were about 500 tourists on the island, with 100 of them stuck at the airport.

The government is trying to help people who cannot afford to continue staying in the expensive luxury resorts. “We believe they are like locals, as they are the people who have brought this country to where it is now,” Waheed said.

The first two coronavirus cases in the Maldives were confirmed on March 8, and a state of public health emergency was declared four days later.

As over 70% of the country’s GDP is attributed to revenue generated by the tourism industry, the economy continues to face severe repercussions due to travel restrictions imposed over the COVID-19 outbreak. It is estimated that the country will face a shortfall of approximately USD 450 million in foreign currency as a result of the pandemic.