Maldives offers free vaccinations to tourists.

The Minister of Tourism, Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, confirmed that the Maldives is developing a "3V tourism" program (Visit, Vaccine, and Vacation), allowing tourists to "Sightsee, Get Vaccinated, and Relax." Under this program, visitors will be provided with two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. However, this means that those who register for vaccination will have to stay in the island nation for several weeks. Dr. Mausoom hopes the program will help boost tourism in the Indian Ocean archipelago, which welcomed 1.7 million tourists before the pandemic.

However, tourists wishing to get vaccinated will have to wait, as the 3V plan will not be implemented until the entire population of the country, estimated at under 550,000, is fully vaccinated. Currently, about 53% of the island nation's population has received their first dose of the vaccine, 90% of whom are frontline tourism workers.

"The key to open tourism is providing tourists with a safe, affordable form of travel with minimal inconvenience. So, once the entire country is fully vaccinated, we will move to 3V tourism," said the head of tourism in the Maldives.