The Parliament has passed on motion on Wednesday not impose any additional taxes or fee’s once the borders opens on July.

As the first “Maldives Safe Tourism Guideline” presented to the parliament by the tourism ministry had put forward to impose additional taxes on tourist. This draft was reviewed by the Economic Affairs committee and passed to take 8 USD per night as “Tourism COVID-19 Tax” from each tourist as an additional tax.

The guideline had shown the procedures that are required to follow once upon arrival to Maldives. Despite this procedures received heavy criticisms from several stakeholders and had to be re-drafted.

However, a motion was submitted during Wednesday sitting by North-Hithadhoo constituency of Addu Atoll Mohamed Aslam. The motion was submitted to cancel the following USD 8 dollars which was passed by the committee earlier and the motion also asked to cancel out more additional fee’s. The motion was passed with 55 Parliament Members voting in favor of cancelling cancelling out the fee’s.

According MP Aslam proposed motion was submitted as tourism plan’s to be re-open in the Maldives in July it would have a negative effect on industry if additional taxes are imposed on tourist. Parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed also highlighted that he would advise the president to also not to impose additional taxes on tourist.