Maldives has registered a dramatic surge in environmental levies this year, collecting over USD 110 million in Green Tax revenue by mid-October, according to the Ministry of Finance and Planning figures.
This figure represents a massive 105 percent increase compared to the USD 54.1 million collected during the same period last year, signaling both a powerful recovery in the tourism sector and the growing financial importance of sustainability-focused taxation.
Data released in the Ministry’s "Weekly Fiscal Development" report confirmed that the state generated USD 110.2 million in Green Tax revenue between 1 January and 16 October this year. The Ministry attributed the exceptional growth directly to the robust recovery and expansion of tourism activity.
Fiscal data aligns closely with tourism figures with the Ministry of Tourism and Environment reported that 1.7 million tourists have visited the archipelago so far this year, a 10 percent increase over the 1.6 million visitors recorded in the corresponding period last year.
The Green Tax, first introduced in October 2016, is a crucial environmental funding mechanism levied on tourists staying at resorts, hotels, guesthouses, and tourist vessels. Guests at high-end resorts, safaris, and hotels are charged USD 12 per person per night, while guesthouse vacationers contribute USD 6. Children under the age of two are exempt.
The revenue generated from the Green Tax portfolio is earmarked exclusively for environmental conservation and development projects, largely concentrated in the Atolls. These initiatives include vital infrastructure investments such as water and sewerage systems, coastal protection, and critical clean environment projects across the islands.