Sri Lanka, Sept. 24 -- After months of empty beaches and deserted hotels in Maldives, tourism operator Ahmed Waheed says he is eager to help affluent travellers trade their COVID-19 masks for snorkeling or scuba gear.

Maldives, an Indian Ocean archipelago, depends on tourism for nearly 60 percent of its gross domestic product and jobs. On July 15, Maldives reopened hotels with strict safety standards to protect vacationers and employees from the coronavirus.

"We are working very closely with Ministry of Tourism to ensure a relaxing and safe holiday for our tourists, back in the tropical paradise," said Waheed, who owns ITAW Travel & Tours. "Our target is to market as broadly as we can, for the time being digitally, tapping into the Midd...