Travellers planning to visit the Maldives will need to show negative Covid-19 test results from Thursday.
All tourists and visitors heading to the tropical archipelago must present a negative PCR test on arrival at Male International Airport. The test must have been taken in the past 72 hours, according to the latest update from the Ministry of Tourism.
The move comes less than two months after the country reopened to tourists, initially with no requirements for quarantine or Covid-19 testing for visitors.
The Indian Ocean nation reopened on July 15 after its borders were closed for 110 days to help prevent the spread of the virus. Initially, travellers were welcome as long as they submitted a health declaration form at least 24 hours before they arrived.
The isolated nature of the country, where most resorts have their own island, meant the authorities opted to leave it to individual resorts to implement their own rules.
All resorts were to have a trained medical professional in place capable of collecting samples for Covid-19 testing, while some islands opted to test guests for Covid-19 in an effort to create coronavirus-free bubbles. It's unclear whether these resorts will continue to test arriving guests now that virus-free certificates are mandatory for all travellers.
Island hopping is back
While entry restrictions to the country have been tightened, the Ministry of Tourism has also relaxed rules on island-hopping between resorts. Travellers may now visit more than one resort in the archipelago on the same trip as part of a new "Split Stay" initiative.
To qualify to be part of the initiative, resorts must have not recorded a coronavirus case for at least 28 days and must be able to carry out exit screenings on travellers to record temperatures and medical history. Any tourist that wants to visit two resorts on the same trip must apply for permission from the Ministry of Tourism at least two days before their intended date of travel.
Guesthouses to reopen
The islands' guesthouses will also be allowed to reopen from October, the authorities have said. Popular with backpackers, locals and those seeking to explore the islands on a budget, the resumption of guesthouses will expose the Maldives to a wider demographic of travellers.
Local councils for each island must apply to the Ministry of Tourism for permission to resume operations. Once this has been obtained, individual guesthouses can then apply to the tourism authority for a permit to resume activities so long as they meet certain requirements in terms of social distancing and safety measures.
This does not apply to guesthouses in the Greater Male region where operations will remain closed until case numbers of the coronavirus are lower.
Tourism is the major economic driver for the Maldives. International flights restarted in July, but the number of travellers visiting has been lower than expected. The country has reported an expected loss of more than $450 million (Dh1.65 billion) due to a lack of tourism this year.
It has reported 8,486 confirmed cases of the virus, with 125 new cases recorded on Saturday, September 5. The country has a population of just over 542,000.
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
Price, base / as tested: Dh76,900 / Dh110,900
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: Torque: 352Nm @ 2,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.5L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
