News Desk
MALE’ — The Maldives collected MVR 1.05 billion in green tax revenue in the first five months of 2026, up 10 per cent from MVR 959 million in the same period last year, according to MIRA’s May revenue report.
The yearly comparison masks a sharp deterioration in May itself. Green tax collections fell 32 per cent in May, from MVR 204 million a year ago to MVR 138 million this year. MIRA attributed the decline to a drop in tourist arrivals linked to instability in the Middle East, one of the Maldives’ largest source markets. Tourist arrivals fell 24.4 per cent in May compared to May 2025.
Monthly collections this year have been uneven. March was the strongest month at MVR 312 million, while May was the weakest. January brought in MVR 222 million, February MVR 200 million, and April MVR 185 million.
Green tax is charged at $12 per person per night at resorts, safari vessels and hotels, and $6 at guesthouses. Children under two are exempt. The tax, introduced in October 2016, is directly tied to tourist volumes and funds environmental projects across the islands including coastal protection, water and sewerage systems, and clean environment initiatives.
