Public Sector

Tourism ministry urges water sports providers to follow regulations in time for peak tourist season

Attention was brought to the lack of regulation following a series of incidents in regards to snorkelling and other water sports activities leading to travellers being put in risky situations.

Activemaldives

Activemaldives

Over the years, the Maldives has become one of the most popular island destinations that travellers seek out for an idyllic vacation. While the start of the tourism industry was a humble one, through hard work and dedication the country has emerged as one of the most romantic as well as adventurous destinations - offering a variety of motorised and non-motorised water sports. 

Activities such as parasailing, snorkelling, diving and a variety of excursions such as fishing like local and dolphin excursions have gained popularity among tourists over the years. Everyone who travels for family vacations or romantic getaways makes sure to book at least a few water sports activities to experience during their vacation - with some excursions even being included in packages. These experiences are not only available in luxury resorts, but budget travellers exploring local islands are also able to partake in these experiences. 

Recently, however, due to the lack of regulations, travellers coming into the Maldives have started facing issues when it comes to the activities that they book. Attention was brought to the lack of regulation following a series of incidents in regards to snorkelling and other water sports activities leading to travellers being put in risky situations. As the number of incidents continues, the Government has decided to take firm measures in order to ensure the utmost safety of travellers coming into the Maldives by moving towards forming proper regulations when it comes to water sports activities. 

According to the Tourism Ministry of Maldives, regulations are to be formulated in order to curb such incidents - soon to be published in the Gazette. Further urging providers of such services, the ministry has highlighted the importance of following regulations, especially as peak tourist season approaches in time for the end-of-the-year holidays.

The following safety regulations must be adhered to for all water sports activities:

  •  Participants must be provided with safety information regarding each activity beforehand, and equipment used must meet accepted safety standards, being used strictly for its intended purpose and as per instructions. 
  • Non-swimmers participating in water activities must wear a life jacket at all times, and boundaries should be set where applicable.
  •  Activities must be discontinued if the MET office issues adverse weather warnings, if weather conditions are deemed unsafe, or if the instructor identifies any potential danger. 
  • Daily weather updates must be provided to participants, and reliable communication between the instructor and the center must be maintained at all times. 
  • A log of participants, including their names, identification or passport numbers, and ages, must be maintained
  • Participants are required to complete a consent and health status disclosure form, which includes a clause accepting personal responsibility for risks. 
  • For participants under 16, a parent or guardian must sign the consent form.

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