MATATO urges all resorts and suppliers to allow flexibility in cancellations and date changes


Maldives
PUBLISHED March 29, 2020

Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) is a nonprofit organization that has been working in the last 14 years for the betterment and sustainable development of local travel agents.

Given the global crisis by the pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and public health emergency of international concern declared by World Health Organisation (WHO), they 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.

Members and even non-members of the organization were reached in an effort to collect data for a survey to determine the major challenges faced by the travel agents. In the process of gathering information, concerns and grievances have been received from affiliated members in regard to resort cancellation policies towards them, says MATATO.

The association urges all resorts, guesthouses, liveboards and hotels to allow flexibility in cancellation terms and allow date changes as it is important to have these policies- to sustain the business that are now in the brink of collapsing and to help the destination to bounce back once the borders open and airlines are able to fly.

The association has been also in dialogue 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.

MATATO acknowledged majority of all resorts, guesthouses, liveboards and hotels that are being extremely supportive of local businesses and local travel agents.

The shock to the global economy from Covid-19 has been faster and more severe than the 2008 global financial crisis and even the Great Depression, thus it is vital for all the stakeholders to work together in coming out of this stronger as a country and destination.

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