Maldives tightens security at luxury tourist resorts

Alleged assassination attempt on the country's president on September 28, alerted authorities to increase security while searching for explosives

The explosion aboard of President Abdulla Yameen boat, docked in the capital of Male, increased security levels over the Maldives tourism resorts.

The country's vice-president Mohamed Nasheed, who was considered to be involved in the incident, was jailed after the attack and declared to be a threat for the country's security. Consequently to his arrest,opposition activists have threatened to call a tourism boycott.

“We can reassure and say that even learning from this incident itself, we have tightened and strengthened security in the resorts. We should not over-exaggerate this particular incident. The country has largely been very peaceful and tourists have been safe. There has not been any targeting of tourism”, foreign minister Dunya Maumoon declared for APF underlining that tourists are not in danger, as the travel industry accounts for more than a quarter of the country’s GDP.

Nevertheless, the Australian government advised its citizens to exercise a “high degree of caution, due to the possibility of civil unrest and the threat of terrorist attacks” when traveling to the Maldive islands.

The 1.192 small coral islands nation at the equator yearly welcomes more than one million tourists, such as honeymooners, celebrities and people who want to experience a peaceful exotic holiday among sandy beaches, lagoons and turquoise waters.