Maldives assure safety for tourists

Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed (2nd, R Front) gestures during a rally in Male, the capital of Maldive, on Feb. 11, 2012. (Photo: Xinhua)

Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed (2nd, R Front) gestures during a rally in Male, the capital of Maldive, on Feb. 11, 2012. (Xinhua/Che Hongliang)

Ending a week of political turmoil, the Maldives Saturday invited tourists to its world’s top luxury resort destinations assuring complete safety and protection, according to a senior official.

Maldivian president Mohamed Waheed Hassan who was newly appointed as the head of the state of Indian Ocean archipelago told media despite political crisis over the week no tourists have been affected.

“All nationals coming to the Maldives are safe,” Waheed who met Robert O. Blake, the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs said on Saturday.

“All government offices including police stations and schools are open and all island resorts are safer here. Despite crisis everything continues to function and no foreign national have been affected,” Waheed said.

The new president’s assurance came amidst travel advisories issued by Australia, Britain, Germany and the United States on the Maldives while China cautioned its holiday makers which account for around 25 percent of foreign visitors to the Maldives.

The Maldives gets about one million visitors a year and the tourist sector accounts for one third of the Maldives’ gross domestic product (GDP) and more than 60 percent of foreign currency earnings.

Around 850,000 mostly high-end tourists visited the Maldives last year and the country was voted the world’s number one island destination by readers of Conde Nast Traveller in 2011.

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