.
The Maldives Will Reopen in July 2020 Without Coronavirus Restrictions, restoring visa on arrival and with none of the additional stringent requirements promulgated in the draft reopening plan (see Maldives Opens July 1: Strict Entry Requirements).
Originally the Maldives planned to require visitors to reserve a stay of at least 14 nights at a single resort that had a Safe Tourism License, have valid travel insurance (including medical coverage) for the duration of the stay, have a negative PCR test result dated no more than 7 days prior to arrival or a positive antibody test dated no more than 14 days prior to arrival, and also take a PCR test at the Male airport, at an out of pocket cost of $100, plus pay for a Special Tourist Visa at a cost of $100 per person.
Now the island country has swung to the opposite extreme, presumably worried that the tourism dependent economy will take a major hit if restrictions aren't loosened to encourage visitors to return. Here's a still from the video the Maldivian Ministry of Tourism tweeted out on June 10:
The Maldives does seem to be continuing its Safe Tourism License plan for resorts, which will require resorts to have a resident doctor and nurse, dedicate 10% of rooms or villas for isolation purposes, and appropriately train staff on PPE, disinfection procedures, and social distancing.
Arguably there's a middle ground to be struck between the extremes of forcing travelers to book and stay 14 days at a single resort and not requiring any testing whatsoever. The good thing about the Maldives is that most travelers do only go to one resort, and the resorts are isolated both from Male and the other islands that most Maldivians live on. That said, Maldivian and foreign staff often live in tight back of the house quarters, so it's crucial that visitors not bring in undiagnosed cases that go on to infect other guests and staff.
It would likely make more sense for the Maldives to first invite back visitors from countries with a low prevalence of COVID-19, such as Germany, Austria, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, etc., see how that goes, and then gradually open up to travelers from other countries after they've better managed their outbreaks.
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