Maldives to increase main airport taxes from December 2024

Maldives government has put forward a proposal to increase the taxes levied on passengers using Velana International Airport (VIA).

The proposed amendments to the Airport Departures Tax Act are set to be presented to the parliament in its upcoming session, which begins Monday.

The amendments include adjustments to the departure fees for various passenger categories. The proposed changes are as follows:

• The departure fee for foreigners traveling in economy class will increase from $30 to $50.
• There will be no change in the fee for Maldivian economy class passengers.
• The departure fee for business class passengers will rise from $60 to $120.
• First class passengers will see an increase in their departure fee from $90 to $240.
• The fee for passengers departing on private jets will increase from $120 to $480.

The amendments are aimed at implementing these changes from December 2024.

According to the government’s estimates, the increase in airport departure taxes is expected to generate an additional MVR 1.6 billion in revenue.

The primary objective of raising airport taxes is to improve the country’s reserve situation, as the tax revenue will be collected in dollars.