The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has revealed that the State collected MVR 422.2 million in Green Tax during the first two months of the year.

According to statistics released by MIRA, this represents a 63.7 per cent increase compared to the MVR 257.9 million collected during the same period last year.

Green Tax was introduced in October 2016 to finance environmental protection projects in the Maldives. The tax is charged on tourists staying at resorts, hotels, guesthouses and safari vessels operating in the country. Under the policy, USD 12 is charged per tourist per day at resorts, hotels and safari vessels, while guesthouse tourists are charged USD 6 per day. Children under the age of two are exempt from the tax.

Revenue generated from the tax is used to fund environmental projects across the islands, including water and sewerage systems, coastal protection projects and other environmental initiatives.

MIRA statistics also show that 474,920 tourists visited the Maldives during the first two months of the year, compared to 430,356 arrivals during the same period last year, representing an increase of 10.4 per cent.