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Message: <blockquote data-quote="lkdood" data-source="post: 11754571" data-attributes="member: 92282"><img src="http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/maldives.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />The Maldives has ordered hundreds of luxury hotels to close their  spas after protests by an Islamist party which claimed they were a front  for prostitution, an official told AFP Friday.The tourism  ministry instructed all resort hotels across the nation's 1,192 tiny  coral islands to shut their spas and health centres offering beauty  treatments and massage with immediate effect.The opposition  Adhaalath party, a conservative religious movement whose website  features an article criticising "lustful music," staged protests in the  capital Male last week accusing spas of being used as brothels."An  Islamic party has been agitating against spas hoping to embarrass the  government," a senior government figure told AFP by telephone,  confirming Thursday's ministry order but asking not to be named.The  tourism industry is a vital foreign exchange earner and employer in the  Maldives, a popular high-end destination for well-heeled honeymooners  and celebrities where luxury rooms can cost up to $12,000 a day.The  Indian Ocean country this year received more than 850,000 tourists,  drawn to its secluded islands known for turquoise blue lagoons, as well  as corals and reefs filled with multi-coloured fish.The  government bowed to the pressure less than a week after President  Mohamed Nasheed called for a "tolerant" form of Islam in his nation of  330,000 people, who by law are all Muslims.He urged Maldivians to  reject religious extremism and support the more liberal "traditional  form" of Islam that has been practised in the Maldives for centuries.Despite  the Islamic republic's reputation as a laid-back holiday paradise,  burnished by frequent international marketing campaigns, there is  growing concern about the influence of a minority of religious  fundamentalists.There have been anti-semitic protests recently  about the transport ministry's decision to allow direct flights from  Israel, while a restaurant that hung up Christmas decorations last year  was also targeted.In 2010, a marriage celebrant was filmed  abusing a Western couple as "swine" and "infidels" in a religious-tinged  hate speech during a ceremony conducted in the local Dhivehi language.Most  recently, UN Human Rights chief Navi Pillay has sought to highlight the  plight of Maldivian women who can be publicly flogged for having  extra-marital sex.Industry sources said they expected the  government to revoke the decision on spas considering the huge revenue  earned from the business.The deluxe Huvafen Fushi, where an ocean  view room can cost $10,440 per night, told AFP Friday that their spa  was open on Friday and they were accepting bookings for the New Year."We  have heard of this report, but our spa is open," a Huvafen Fushi  manager said. The hotel boasts the world's first underwater spa  treatment rooms where guests have a close up view of marine life.The  government move to shut spas will directly affect an opposition leader,  Gasim Ibrahim, head of the Jumhoory Party, who owns five, the  independent Minivan news website reported.<img src="http://www.google.com/hostednews/img/afp_logo.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></blockquote>

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