Maldives to deploy tourist scouts to ensure safety of tourists

Minister of Tourism, Ali Waheed, quoted in reports said that the government had begun training these tourist scouts and this training program would be completed within the year.

The minister said the tourist scout program aims to ensure the safety of holidaymakers and to ensure a safe environment for tourists.

"The program will be introduced to all parts of the country but initially tourist scouts will be located in islands which are deemed to be incident prone," Waheed said.

Under this initiative, water safety trained lifeguards will be dispatched to the islands.

According to the Tourism Ministry, the first phase of the project will introduce 50 lifeguards to 19 islands.

The project is to be conducted jointly by the local Maldivian councils and the Tourism Ministry.