The green tax collected by the state in June 2020 saw a major decline in comparison to the same period the previous year, revealed the Ministry of Finance.
According to the green fund report released by the ministry, the state collected significantly low amounts in green tax at MVR 3.9 million in June 2020 including MVR 1.7 million from tourist establishments such as safaris, guesthouses and hotels in Kaafu atoll, MVR 307,000 from tourist establishments in Alif Dhaal atoll and MVR 306,000 from tourist establishments in Lhaviyani Atoll.
MVR 1.5 million was collected through resorts, MVR 143,398.32 from guesthouses and MVR 195,953.16 from safaris.
The state did not receive green tax revenue from seven atolls; Haa Alif, Seenu, Thaa, Laamu, Gaafu Alif as well as Fuvahmulah City.
By the end of June, MVR 41 million had been spent from the green fund which was utilized to fund environment protection and sustainable development projects such as water and sanitation projects as well as coastal protection projects and waste management projects. This left a balance of MVR 918 million in the green fund.
The largest amount; MVR 16 million was spent on land reclamation and construction of a revetment wall in Thilafushi island of Kaafu atoll.
Maldives began collecting Green Tax during 2016 and USD six is collected as Green Tax from every tourist, for each night of their stay in the Maldives during 2015. This was later extended to tourists staying in guesthouses, for a three-dollar rate per night in the year that followed.
Following the surfacing of the global Covid-19 pandemic in the island nation, green tax revenue had significantly dropped after tourist establishments were shut down and the border closed on March 27.
Before the pandemic, Maldives collected as high as MVR 84.9 million as green tax during January.
Since reopening borders on July 15, tourist resorts and liveaboard vessels have been allowed to operate, guesthouses outside of the greater Malé region are to be given the green light to resume operations on October 15.
Very recently, the government made it mandatory for tourists to provide a negative PCR test for Covid-19, before arriving in the country.
