According to statistics by the government taxation authority, Maldives has collected MVR292 million (approximately USD19 million) as Airport Development Fee (ADF) so far this year.
ADF is collected as a departure tax from passengers departing from Velana International Airport (VIA). The fee is charged from foreign passengers at a rate of USD25 and locals at USD12.
According to Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA)’s statistics, 3.7 million was collected in USD while another 57 million was collected in MVR so far this year.
The ADF was among a raft of new taxes proposed in the 2017 state budget to fund a USD800 million project. The government had stated that the additional revenue will be used to repay development loans taken by the government.