The National Boating Association of Maldives (NBAM) has held a virtual meeting with Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom to share the difficulties faced by the industry.
NBAM stated the main points of discussion included providing loans to liveaboards to alleviate them from the financial difficulties incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tourism minister of the lack of policy on foreign boats competing with vessels registered in the Maldives, also informed NBAM.
Furthermore, the association discussed opening the borders to South Asian tourists and noted the difficulties in hiring employees from South Asia due to the government's decision to temporarily ban issuing visas to citizens of South Asian countries.
NBAM also requested that Maldivian employees working on liveaboards be allowed to visit their families without requiring to undergo quarantine, and expressed concerns over the government's policy to quarantine all employees and tourists if a COVID-19 case was detected on the vessel. NBAM stated that liveaboards would incur huge losses if quarantine was put in place on the vessels, especially in the upcoming high season for the tourism industry.
The boating association stated Minister Mausoom has pledged to solve the difficulties addressed in the meeting.