The 10 Most Tourism-Dependent Countries Suffering Amid COVID-19

- Tourism total contribution to GDP: $3 billion (75.1 percent of total GDP)

- Jobs reliant on tourism: 80,400 (36.7 percent of total jobs)

The world’s number one most tourism-dependent nation is The Maldives, a South Asian archipelagic state situated in the Indian Ocean that’s acquired a reputation for being the closest thing to paradise on Earth. Pristine natural surroundings, brilliant-colored waters and the inherent seclusion the atolls provide for visitors have made it among the world’s most enviable destinations.

Its economy being virtually built on tourism, The Maldives eagerly reopened on July 15, but afterward had to tighten entry requirements due to a spike in COVID-19 cases that affected over a dozen of its luxury-resort islets.