Maldives guesthouses lose USD 30 million amid COVID-19 pandemic

MALE, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 pandemic has cost guesthouses in the Maldives revenue worth 30 million U.S. dollars, local media citing Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid reported here Wednesday.

In a virtual discussion with permanent representatives at the United Nations, Shahid noted that border closures and travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have cost guesthouses 30 million U.S. dollars in revenue.

Shahid said that 35 percent of the country's revenue is generated from tourism, which was crippled especially during a border closure enforced by the government from March 27 to July 15 in order to contain a domestic outbreak of COVID-19.

The downturn in tourism is expected to lead to serious job losses in guesthouses as well as businesses working in supply chains, Shahid said, while requesting UN representatives to unite to defeat the pandemic.

Maldives has confirmed 3,506 cases of COVID-19, out of which 2,544 have fully recovered and 15 have died, according to data from the Health Protection Agency.