Maldives ban India tourists

 Maldives ban India tourist:

Maldives Tourism says 'all resorts on standalone islands welcoming guests from India'

BUSINESS

Maldives Tourism says 'all resorts on standalone islands welcoming guests from India'

NEW DELHI: Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Maldives and 

Bangladesh

 have restricted entry of travellers from India with immediate effect due to the Covid situation here.

Maldives tourism

 minister tweeted on Sunday: “With effect from April 27, (Maldives’ health authorities) suspends tourists travelling from India to Maldives from staying at tourist facilities in inhabited islands.” Maldives Tourism Board representative in India, Think Strawberries, clarified “this (restriction) is for islands which have local population. All resorts (as they are on 

standalone islands

) are welcoming guests from India.” So Maldives remains open for rich Indians. 

Germany: Now, only German nationals and holders of a German resident permit travelling from India are allowed to enter there. 

Lufthansa

 and Air India say they are not suspending flights between the two countries.

NEW DELHI: Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Maldives and 

Bangladesh

 have restricted entry of travellers from India with immediate effect due to the Covid situation here.

Under the new rules for travel from India to Germany, “transit via Germany to any Schengen destination is only permitted for German nationals and holders of a German resident permit. Transit to any non-Schengen destination is permitted for all nationalities. Holders of German short and long term visas are not allowed to enter Germany. Students on new German student visa and not holding a resident permit of Germany are not allowed to enter Germany… Members of a foreign diplomatic mission or Consular office and their accompanying close family members whose appointment and arrival into Germany has been notified to the German Federal Foreign Office are allowed to enter Germany.”

Maldives will be reopening its borders to tourists of all nationalities on 15th July 2020. There will be no further incoming travel restrictions to the country.

The Ministry of Tourism said, "With effect from 27 April  @HPA_mv  suspends tourists travelling from #India to #Maldives from staying at tourist facilities in inhabited islands. We thank you for the support in our endeavour to make tourism safest possible with minimum inconvenience."

Nawazuddin Siddiqui said, “These entertainment celebrities posting vacation pictures at a time when the world is reeling under the worst recession. …Logon ke pass khana nahin hai aur aap paise phenk rahe ho. Kuch toh sharm karo. Perhaps going on holiday is not so wrong as showing off about it?”

"It has been a tough time for everyone and for some people much more. I think gratitude and being thankful for privileges is what is most important to know versus throwing your privileges in people’s faces," said Shruti Haasan.

Indian tourists (including many Bollywood celebrities) flocked the Maldivian islands in the last couple of months and became a talking point. Celebrities like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and others slammed the industry over their favourite holiday spot ' the Maldives, asking celebrities to 'have a heart' and not taunt those suffering from the global health crisis.

Maldivian citizens and work permit holders who arrive in Maldives from India, including those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, are required to get a PCR test done within 24 hours upon arrival, and undergo 10 days of quarantine. They will be released from quarantine once they test negative upon completion of the quarantine period. This does not include children under the age of one year.

It must be mentioned that India is the top source market for tourism in the Maldives in the year 2020 and remains as the top source market even in 2021 but now as other countries have banned or restricted travelers from the country as well including UAE, UK, Canada, Oman, the US, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Pakistan, Australia, Kuwait and Singapore Maldives decided to take the call as well.

However, this ban does not apply to resorts and hotels located away from the local population

With the suspension in place, desi netizens could not help but poke fun at the crazy, rich Indian lot who could take a flight and be in the Maldives in a jiffy. Taking to the microblogging site, they were at their hilarious best. 

The Great Escape to the islands became quite a norm since last year. From Bollywood couples to the newlyweds, they went to take refuge in the beautiful sea-facing resorts in order to relax and flood the internet with some 'quarantine goals' and 'wanderlust' kind of content. 

With the suspension in place, desi netizens could not help but poke fun at the crazy, rich Indian lot who could take a flight and be in the Maldives in a jiffy. Taking to the microblogging site, they were at their hilarious best. 

Since the announcement the social media is having a ball poking fun at Bollywood who has been flocking to the island country pretty much since the pandemic-induced lockdown ended in India last year. 

Bollywood celebrities, including Janhvi Kapoor, Disha Patani and Tiger Shroff posted photos of their holiday. Even Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt also flew there immediately after recovering from the infection.

The netizens have been reminding them of their 'responsibility' as India reels under the worst effect of the COVID-19 crisis.