Jan. 02, 2012--COLOMBO -- The Maldivian government is to reconsider its decision to close down spas in resorts after protests from the tourism sector, a media report said Monday.

The decision to close the spas was taken after demands by religious groups.

"We are considering allowing resorts to operate spas," Tourism Minister Mariyam Zulfa was quoted as saying on the news website Haveeruonline. "They are also aware of the reasons that led us to take the decision."

The Tourism Ministry issued a circular Thursday ordering all resorts in the Maldives to shut down its spas, claiming that a majority of Maldivians have accused the spas of being run as brothels.

Tourism is the main source of revenue for the Sunni Muslim nation of more than 1,200 atolls. The estimated revenue from tourism is 1.5 billion US dollars, or 30 per cent, of the gross domestic product.

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