Ministry of Finance has revealed that the highest amount of Green Tax was collected in January 2022.
The government received USD6.5 million in Green Tax in January last year, according to statistics. These include USD98.9 million from resorts, guesthouses and hotels, USD116,731 from liveaboards, and USD137 from homestay facilities.
Of the green tax revenue received in January, USD2.3 million was collected from Kaafu Atoll, including USD6.4 million from resorts and USD149,156 from guesthouses. The second highest was collected from Alifu Dhaalu Atoll with USD804,150 in January. The third highest green tax collection was from Raa Atoll with USD518,806. The lowest Green Tax collection in January was in Fuvahmulah City and Faafu Atoll. According to statistics, the Fuvahmulah collected USD596 and Faafu Atoll collected USD678 in January last year. The Green Fund had a total of USD49.8 million by the end of January, according to the finance ministry.
The Green Fund was introduced in 2016 with the aim of tackling environmental issues in the Maldives as per the Tourism Act of the Maldives. As such, USD6 is charged as Green Tax per tourist for each day they spend at a resort or a hotel in the Maldives, while USD3 is charged as Green Tax per tourist for each day they stay at a guesthouse.