State earns MVR 166M as airport development fee in Q3

The State earned MVR 166 million as airport development fee – charged from passengers who travel out of Maldives from Velana International Airport – during the third quarter of 2017.

The airport development fee is taken under the law on tax and fees from passengers who travel abroad, which was passed by the parliament at the end of 2016. The fee took effect on May 1.

The airport development fee is USD 25 for foreigners and USD 12 for locals.

Statistics released by Maldives Inland Revenue Authority for the month of September shows the State earned USD 166 million as airport development fee from May to September, including USD 47 million in the month of September alone.

The airport development fee was introduced with the projected State budget for 2017 as an additional revenue source. The government had originally proposed to charge USD 25 as airport development fee from both foreigners and locals. The fee was later reduced to USD 12 for locals by the parliament.