The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has reported that more than USD 27.31 million was collected in green tax during the first two months of 2026, reflecting a significant increase compared to the same period last year.
According to MIRA data, green tax revenue rose by 63.7 percent from the USD 16.68 million recorded in January and February 2025. The increase has been largely driven by higher tourist arrivals as well as revised tax rates introduced last year.
Green tax was first introduced in October 2016 as a way to fund environmental conservation efforts across the Maldives. The tax is collected from tourists staying at resorts, hotels, guesthouses and liveaboard vessels operating in the country.
Under the current rate structure introduced in January 2025, tourists staying at resorts, hotels and safari vessels are charged USD 12 per night, while those staying in guesthouses pay USD 6 per night. Children under the age of two are exempt from the tax.
Revenue generated from the green tax is used to finance various environmental initiatives across the country, including the development of water and sewerage systems, coastal protection projects, waste management and environmental clean-up programmes.
The rise in tax collection also reflects the growth in tourism during the early months of the year. Official figures show that 474,920 tourists visited the Maldives in January and February 2026, representing a 10.4 percent increase compared to the 430,356 arrivals recorded during the same period in 2025.
During the first two months of the year, tourist arrivals averaged around 6,000 per day. However, authorities note that daily arrivals have recently declined to about 4,000 due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has affected flight routes and travel patterns.
Officials say the Maldives remains particularly sensitive to disruptions in the region, as roughly 30 percent of tourists typically travel to the country via Middle Eastern transit hubs. Despite the recent slowdown, the strong green tax collection highlights the continued contribution of tourism to environmental sustainability efforts in the Maldives
