Struck hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, Maldives has initiated the first world loyalty scheme to focus on tourism promotion.
The program is called Maldives Border Miles and offers three tiers inspired by honorable names from the country’s history: Aida (bronze), Antara (silver), and Abaarana (gold). They correspond to 500, 2000, and 4000 points.
These points can be earned with each border-crossing into the country (50 points) and by staying in luxurious hotels (5 points per day). Extra points are to be awarded for coming during unique occasions, such as weddings, honeymoons, and anniversaries.
Travelers can also earn bonus points participating in specific tourist activities, including diving and surfing, or visiting around special dates, like Maldives Eid holidays.
Anyone can enroll in the scheme if traveling to the country for tourism. Nonetheless, it is necessary to stay at a registered facility for at least three nights to obtain the desired points.
Once the visitors reach a certain amount of points, they earn access to exclusive privileges, which are yet to be announced. They will probably include VIP immigration and Duty-Free discounts.
With two-thirds of the economy coming from tourism, Maldives knew they had to respond quickly to the situation. Aside from the already existing private jet arrivals and socially distanced hideaways, resort chains like Soneva are innovating with things like its own PCR testing machines onsite.
Maldives remain open for tourism from July 15, despite high CDC alerts. With 593 active cases up to date, no type of travel is recommended.
However, visitors can enter the country, providing that they submit a negative COVID-19 test, fill out a Health Declaration, and bring a booking confirmation on one of the government-approved sites.