Government revenue collection for April 2025 reached MVR 2.60 billion, reflecting a notable 22.7 percent increase compared to April 2024, driven primarily by higher taxes from the tourism sector and revised green tax and airport fees.
The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) reported that USD collections for the month stood at 125.09 million dollars, forming a significant part of the total figure. The rise was attributed to an increase in tourist arrivals in March 2025, up by 4.8 percent from the same period last year, as well as to policy changes that raised green tax rates and airport-related fees. These revisions took effect in January and December 2024, respectively.
Goods and Services Tax (GST) remained the largest revenue stream, accounting for 63.4 percent of total collections, while Green Tax followed at 8.7 percent. Income Tax, Airport Development Fees, Departure Tax, and Tourism Land Rent rounded out the top contributors. When narrowed to USD collections, Tourism GST alone made up 60.2 percent, reflecting the dominant role of the tourism sector in foreign currency revenue.
Compared to projections, April’s collections surpassed expectations by 1.6 percent. MIRA attributes this to better-than-anticipated tourist arrivals and the recovery of overdue payments, particularly under Tourism Land Rent. Notably, 21.9 percent of the month’s total was recovered from outstanding dues, pointing to stepped-up enforcement efforts.
The report also shows that total tax revenue for April 2025 stood at MVR 2.21 billion, with non-tax revenues amounting to MVR 393.98 million. This upward trend extended across the January–April period, during which cumulative collections reached MVR 11.92 billion, an increase of nearly MVR 900 million from the same period last year.
Despite the positive figures, revenue from certain sources such as Bank Income Tax and fines remained marginal. Refunds and adjustments, mostly related to overpaid income taxes and GST, were also noted but did not significantly affect the headline numbers.
The April 2025 report underscores the state’s continued reliance on the tourism sector to fuel revenue growth. While the increase in tourist-related taxes has helped shore up government finances in the short term, the long-term outlook may depend on how well the economy diversifies beyond tourism.
