Although the announcements reported that the airspace closure was temporary, as the UAE serves as the main hub connecting travelers to several destinations, including the Maldives, many started wondering what this could mean for such countries that rely heavily on this hub for its tourism.
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Following the attempted strikes on the U.S. bases in Qatar, several airlines diverted their flights as Qatar announced a temporary closure of its airspace. In an announcement, Qatar Airways stated that there was a temporary suspension on Qatar Airways flights, and that the airline was working closely with the government stakeholders and relevant authorities to support any passengers that had been impacted.
In addition to Qatar, airlines, airports and aviation authorities in the UAE and across the GCC also announced travel disruptions amid temporary airspace closure. Although the announcements reported that the airspace closure was temporary, as the UAE serves as the main hub connecting travelers to several destinations, including the Maldives, many started wondering what this could mean for such countries that rely heavily on this hub for its tourism.
Soon after the announcements were made, the Minister of Finance and Planning of the Maldives, Moosa Zameer took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to give assurance that the government is actively working on assessing the situation - not only relating to financial stability but also food security and energy markets as well.
The Government, under the leadership of President Dr @MMuizzu, is actively assessing the impact of the situation in Middle East on our economy, including energy markets, food security, and overall financial stability. We are working with relevant institutions to closely monitor market prices, inflationary trends, and trade flow disruptions. We remain committed to preparedness and safeguarding the interests of all Maldivians.
While this situation has brough light to the dire need for countries like the Maldives that depend heavily on imports and tourism to have a backup plan in times of crisis, as of 24 June 2025, Qatar Airways in an announcement has confirmed the reinstatement of flights as the airspace had reopened for the state of Qatar.
Our focus at this time is to help our passengers return home or reach their onward journey safely and smoothly. We've developed extra ground staff at Hamad International Airport to support you as we resume operations.
Following the opening on airspace in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and UAE also reopened its airspaces at midnight local time.
While the situation has been handled for now, following the attacks, many started speculating what the results would be if the airspace continued to be closed for the Maldives - especially during the low season when the country does not have a high influx of tourists. According to statistics from the Maldives' Ministry of tourism, the country has only been seeing an average of 4,000 tourists per day. In addition to the arrivals as of 22 June 2025 being lower than the previous two years, the arrivals during this period are also relatively low compared to high seasons such as December and January.
In addition to this, with the top markets including countries such as Russia, U.K, Italy and Germany, continued closure of airspace would likely disrupt arrivals from Maldives' top markets, resulting in a drop in arrivals during the already low arrival season.
This recent disruption serves as a reminder of the Maldives' vulnerability to external shocks, particularly in times of geopolitical instability. With the nation’s economy so heavily reliant on tourism and imports, any interruption in regional connectivity can have far-reaching consequences—impacting not just visitor arrivals, but also the supply of essential goods and services.
The efforts being put by the government reflects a growing recognition of the need for long-term planning and diversification to protect the country’s economic stability in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
