Exclusive Resorts Fight Spa Ban in Maldives

(Dive Travel Business News - January 6, 2012) -- A spa ban in the Maldives is one of the threats to tourism at this popular Indian Ocean dive destination which sees celebrities and honeymooners flock to its many atolls. Exclusive resorts in the Maldives are fighting the ban on their luxury spas and health centers after the president of the Indian Ocean archipelago issued a decree on December 31, 2011 that shut them down. Islamic opposition parties argued the spas were a front for prostitution.

'The government has decided to close massage parlors and spas in the Maldives, following an opposition-led religious protest last week calling for their closure,' President Mohamed Nasheed's office said in a statement.

But head of Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), Sim Ibrahim said the move threatened tourism which was crucial for the national economy and hoped the ban would be overturned.  MATI's lawyer Azima Shukoor said: 'The circular violates the lease agreement signed between the government and resort owners and the constitution rights to protect investors.'

On January 2 , MATI filed two cases in the local civil courts, asking the judiciary to revoke the ban, and has applied for a temporary injunction.

There are also fears among the travel industry that a current ban on people bringing alcohol into the country could be expanded to prevent the sale of alcohol anywhere across the islands, meaning hotels and resorts could be stopped from serving alcoholic drinks altogether.  The sale of pork may also be banned.

The statement about the spa ban from the President's office said: 'Ironically, the same opposition leaders who railed against spas and the selling of alcohol and pork to tourists are some of the country's biggest resort owners.'

However, former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's opposition coalition Progressive Party of Maldives denied they had campaigned for a complete spa ban, saying the government move was simply a way of damaging leisure business owned by fellow opposition members.

The Maldives is home to more than 330,000 Sunni Muslims and has come under pressure from a minority of religious fundamentalists who are growing in influence.

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