Maldives Stands up Against Cancellation Fees

Monday 30th of March 2020

Maldives Stands up Against Cancellation Fees

Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) urges all resorts, guesthouses, liveboards and hotels to allow flexibility in cancellation terms and allow date changes in order to prevent collapsing of businesses and bring back life to the tourism industry.

MATATO: Given the global crisis by the pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and public health emergency of international concern declared by World Health Organisation (WHO), we have been working closely with all the government ministries and authorities in the last several weeks, evaluating the impact of the situation and preparing for post pandemic recovery.

The association has been in touch with Ministry of Tourism on these concerns and will seek to provide legal assistance to its members that face challenges in regard to unethical cancellations and date changes, imposed by few resorts. “This isn't a time for discrimination and bias between local agents and foreign tour operator which unfortunately have been observed in the past, a discouraging practice by some resorts.”

Maldives Association of Travel Agents & Tour Operators (MATATO) was found in 2006 by a group of enthusiastic tour operators in the Maldives with the mission of taking travel and tourism industry of the Maldives forward through unity, empowerment and co-operation.