Tourism is the main source of income for the island nations around the world and they have suffered a heavy loss since the COVID-19 pandemic. Among them is the Maldives, which has announced that from July 15 it will reopen its borders to international tourists.

The announcement was made by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solihon during his address to the nation on June 23, according to media reports. He had said that resorts and hotels located on uninhabited islands would open from 15 July, while guest houses and hotels located on the island’s populated parts would re-open from 1 August.

International visitors would not be forced to undergo coronavirus tests or bring a certificate as evidence of their health, according to the guidelines. Patients who do not show symptoms of the virus will have no quarantine period, but if a person shows signs of the virus or has a high fever the person will be checked for the virus at the airport.

However, the guidelines note that any traveller who has come into contact with a person who has been suspected or confirmed to have the virus for the past 14 days should not be on the island. It also involves individuals that have had a fever or respiratory problems over the past 14 days.

So far only charter planes and special flights have been allowed to land and take off from Male’s main airport, and international flights have yet to be resumed.

Each year, Maldives has always drawn a large number of visitors and has for many been a honeymoon destination. The island nation, as per the government, saw a record 1.7 million foreign tourists last year, which is expected to be cut in half this year.