The Maldives collected USD 194.6 million in airport development fees and departure taxes during the first eight months of this year, marking a 7.3 per cent increase compared with the same period last year, according to figures released by the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA).
Passengers departing the Maldives are charged two types of fees: departure tax and airport development fee.
According to MIRA's latest figures, revenue from the two charges reached USD 194.6 million between January and August this year, up from USD 181.6 million during the corresponding period last year.
Departure tax revenue totalled USD 97.3 million during the first eight months of this year, compared with USD 90.8 million in the same period last year, representing a 6.9 per cent increase.
Revenue from the airport development fee also reached USD 97.3 million during the period, up from USD 90.8 million in the corresponding period of 2025, an increase of 6.8 per cent.
Departure tax was introduced on 1 January 2022, while the airport development fee has been levied on passengers departing internationally from Velana International Airport since 1 May 2017.
Those exempt from departure tax include individuals entitled to diplomatic immunity, transit passengers and children under the age of two. Exemptions from the airport development fee apply to individuals entitled to diplomatic immunity and direct transit passengers.