This Popular Vacation Spot Now Offers Vaccinations to Travelers

Having been one of the first countries to fully reopen to international tourists, the Maldives is now aiming to take the lead in vaccine tourism.

Officials from the Indian Ocean paradise have unveiled plans to offer vaccinations to arriving tourists as part of an effort to attract more visitors.

Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, the Maldives' tourism minister, has revealed the country’s “3V tourism” initiative, allowing travelers to “Visit, Vaccinate, and Vacation.”

Mausoom explained that the program will provide visitors with two vaccine doses, requiring those who choose to participate to stay in the Maldives for several weeks.

He believes the program will help revive tourism in the Maldives, which previously welcomed an average of 1.7 million visitors annually before the pandemic.

‘Vaxication’ Initiative

However, international tourists eager to book a ‘vaxication’ trip to the Maldives will have to wait—for now, at least.

The “3V” program will not launch until the Maldives has fully vaccinated its entire population, which is estimated to be just under 550,000 people.

"The goal of reopening tourism is to offer a relatively safe experience with minimal disruption," Mausoom recently told CNBC International.

"Once the entire population is vaccinated, we will proceed with the ‘3V’ tourism initiative," he added.

Mausoom confirmed that approximately 53% of the population has received their first vaccine dose, including 90% of frontline tourism workers.

According to data from Michigan State University, tourism accounts for 28% of the Maldives' GDP, one of the highest rates globally.

In February, Thoyyib Mohame, Managing Director of the Maldives Marketing & PR Corporation, shared with Dinogo Travel that the country welcomed 555,494 visitors in 2020, exceeding its revised forecast of 500,000 arrivals.

"Our greatest advantage lies in the Maldives' unique geography," he explained, noting that the ability to spread guests across multiple islands not only attracted travelers but also made it easier to implement social distancing measures.

"We marketed the destination as a safe haven for tourists," he added.

Robust Supply

Mausoom is optimistic that the vaccine program will help increase visitor numbers even more, but questions remain: where are the vaccines coming from, and can the Maldives supply enough to meet the demand from international visitors?

The minister stated that the Maldives has received vaccine donations from India, China, and the World Health Organization’s Covax program, and is now awaiting an additional supply from Singapore.

"I don't believe supply will be an issue in the Maldives since our population is relatively small," he told CNBC. "The allocations from various organizations and friendly countries will also support our efforts."

However, he did not clarify whether travelers would be charged for the vaccine.

Currently, at least 500 resorts and guesthouses are welcoming international visitors, though the capital city of Malé remains closed to travelers.

The Maldives closed its borders in late March, but made the decision to fully reopen to all international visitors without restrictions in July.

Since September, visitors have been required to present a negative Covid-19 test upon arrival. Despite this, the Maldives has continued to welcome tourists, with case numbers remaining relatively low over the past few months.

As of April 15, the Maldives has reported a total of 25,939 Covid-19 cases and 67 deaths.