Majlis passes not to collect additional fees from tourists, when borders reopen

The People’s Majlis has passed to not collect any additional fees or taxes from tourists, as the country prepares to reopen its border in July.

During Wednesday’s parliament sitting, members voted on amendments to the first draft of the Maldives Safe Tourism Guideline (MSTG) report reviewed by the committee on economic affairs.

The amendment was proposed by North-Hithadhoo constituency MP Mohamed Aslam and sought not to collect the fee of USD eight proposed to be charged from every tourist per night as a tourism Covid-19 tax.

It also proposed to cancel out any additional fees aside from the taxes set for flight landings, arrivals and other taxes that were being taken prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Further, the government is to make arrangements in a way that does not require tourists to be quarantined upon arrival in the Maldives.

The amendment was passed by 55 parliamentarians, unanimously and the committee report was passed with the amendment, with 59 unanimous votes.

The “Maldives Safe Tourism Guideline” draft includes procedures to be followed in allowing entry into the island nation and its resorts, as well as procedures for tourist establishments to follow in the case symptomatic cases arise.

When the draft was initially submitted, parliamentarians had debated on the importance of focusing on strategies that will attract tourists to the island nation at a time the country’s economy has been severely affected due to the global pandemic.

As such, members voiced against taking additional fees from tourists which might bring about more negative impacts on the industry, which was hit hard by the pandemic even before it was discovered in the Maldives.

MPs were urged to forward their opinions and suggestions on the report as it is required to be completed as soon as possible.

In light of this, MP for Hulhudhoo constituency, Ilyas Labeeb proposed to go into a full-house committee debate regarding amendments, which was passed by 62 votes in favor.

The committee report seeks to share the suggestions and opinions proposed by speaker Mohamed Nasheed, Central-Maafannu MP Hassan Zareer and Hinnavaru MP Jeehan Mahmood, with the Ministry of Tourism.

Before being finalized and published, the government’s official policy will have suggestions from all industry stakeholders incorporated into it, the ministry earlier assured upon drawing criticism after the guideline began circulating among the public.

Earlier, tourism minister Ali Waheed also assured that additional fees will not be taken from tourists, when the Maldives reopens its borders.