Secrets of Malvides: How smooth visa policy changed tourism in the country

While some countries are trying to impose certain restrictions on visits to preserve their attractions and combat environmental threats, the Maldives is working in the opposite direction. Tourism is the country's largest industry, and therefore the government is interested in attracting travellers and developing the industry.

India Today notes that 28% of GDP and more than 60% of foreign exchange earnings of the Maldives come from tourism. To improve access to the islands for international travellers, the country has implemented a smooth visa policy and improved the level of service.

Visa policy

To date, in order to facilitate access to the island nation for the most densely populated countries in the world, the Maldives has allowed visa-free entry for passport holders from India, Russia, China, and Kazakhstan. These citizens need to have a valid passport, an up-to-date reservation, a return ticket, and enough money to get to the islands.

Ultimately, this move helped to boost the industry and significantly increase demand among travellers. For these countries, the free visa is valid for 30 days from the date of arrival, but it can be extended to a maximum of 90 days. Citizens of countries not on the list can obtain a visa upon arrival, provided they meet the requirements listed above.

Attitude to the pandemic

To curb the spread of Covid-19, the island nation closed its borders in March 2020. However, while the world was actively fighting the pandemic and closing its borders, the Maldives reopened to tourists in July.

The country introduced strict hygiene conditions and, thanks to its stance, was able to restore travellers' trust, which was reflected in the huge number of tourists. In addition, their unique geographical location helped them to do so, allowing them to isolate themselves from society and attract tourists from India and Russia. In addition, these markets were largely attracted by bloggers and celebrities who were actively promoting island vacations on their social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.