The Government of the Maldives has anticipated 1.5 to 1.8 million tourist arrivals for next year.
Presenting the State Budget 2022 to the Parliament of the Maldives, Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer stated the tourism industry of the country gained momentum following the positive growth of the global economy.
Citing the statistics of the Ministry of Tourism, Minister Ameer said the daily average of tourists arriving in the Maldives is currently maintained at the same level as 2019 expressing that over one million tourist arrivals have been recorded so far in 2021. The minister revealed about 1.2 million tourists are expected to arrive in the Maldives by the end of the year. He expressed hope the target of tourist arrivals for 2022 will be achieved with several marketing activities to celebrate 50 years of tourism in the Maldives, the positive changes in global trade and the reoperation of resorts after the COVID-19 hiatus.
Meanwhile, the government expect the main income directly linked to the tourism industry to increase with the number of tourists visiting the Maldives next year, including Tourism Goods and Services Tax (TGST), Green Tax, Departure Tax and Airport Development Fee.
The government has also estimated the state revenue from Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Business Profit Tax (BPT) to increase in 2022, with the positive changes brought to the tourism industry, business activities and the positive improvement in the livelihoods of the citizens.