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Russian Tourists Hit by Mysterious Payment Ban at Maldives’ Biggest Bank
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The Maldives’ largest bank has begun returning payments linked to hotel bookings for Russian tourists, creating new complications for one of the island nation’s biggest tourism markets, the Russian Union of Travel Industry reported, according to Russian media outlet RBC on November 9.
Tour operators first encountered the problem on October 18, when payments for hotel reservations began being returned.
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According to the industry group, some transfers were rejected even when they had been sent by foreign legal entities rather than Russian companies.
The union said Bank of Maldives may be treating payments for accommodation used by Russian travelers as Russia-related transactions regardless of who actually sends the money.
The group has asked Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development and the Russian Embassy in the Maldives to consult local authorities and seek a solution that would allow tourism payments to continue without interruption.
The payment reversals are already creating extra costs for tour operators and could complicate hotel stays for travelers.
Dmitry Arutyunov, CEO of ART-TOUR, said hotels that do not receive payment may demand that tourists pay again directly or risk being denied check-in.
Bank of Maldives confirmed that it does not process money transfers connected with Russia.
“Under our current policy, Russia is included in the list of countries with restricted access for money transfers,” the bank’s press service told RBC.
The Maldives remain one of the most popular long-haul vacation destinations for Russian travelers.
More than 198,000 Russian tourists visited the Indian Ocean archipelago between January and August, accounting for nearly 15% of all foreign arrivals, according to Maldives Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Ameen.
Ameen previously projected that around 300,000 Russians would visit the Maldives over the full year.
Earlier, Indonesia tightened health surveillance at international airports and seaports after reports that a laboratory worker in Russia died from pneumonia suspected of being linked to plague.
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