Hotel News

Massage-free Maldives orders luxury hotel spas closed

The government of the islamic nation of the Maldives last week ordered all massage spas in the country, including spas at luxury hotels, to be closed down in an effort to curb prostitution in the nation of islands and aspirational resorts. Tourism in the Maldives brings in 30% of the country’s revenue and the impact of spa closures on the USD$1.5 billion tourist economy is uncertain.

The conservative  islamic Adhaalath opposition party in the Maldives led protests in the capital city Male last week against the nation’s tolerance of anti-islamic activities like alcohol and pork sales to foreigners and massage parlors and spas as fronts for prostitution in the country. Sunni Islam is the official religion of the Maldives.

The government is reported to be taking a step back on Monday, January 2 after receiving a weekend of hotel owner responses and a call for protests against closing hotel spas.

Are alcohol sales at resorts going to be banned too?

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3 Comments

  • Oliver January 2, 2012

    Last sentence of the article:

    “An angry protest in December also followed a call by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay for the Maldives to end floggings of women being punished for adultery.”

    Interesting. As beautiful as those islands may be, I think I just added them to my no-fly-to list.

  • Stan January 2, 2012

    Saw this last week and said to myself it is just one more Muslim who does not like Israel,looks like I was wrong

    “A Maldives government minister is urging a break in the ties established two years ago with Israel.

    Dr. Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari told a national security meeting that the parliament should pass a resolution that prohibits the government from having any relations with Israel, according to the Maldives” website Haveeru.

    Now after what you sent TIME TO CHANGE PLANS I have plenty of other places to go to that will not control my every movement, I WOULD NOT GO ON VACATION TO IRAN FOR SAME REASON

  • Joseph M January 2, 2012

    Taken off my bucket list.

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