What are the latest news in Maldives?
Economy and Tourism
- Proposed Tourism Tax: The Maldivian government submitted legislation proposing a 17% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on commissions earned by foreign travel agents and tour operators for tourism services arranged in the country. Travel Gossip———
- Foreign Exchange & Monetary Policy: The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) and commercial banks have tightened foreign currency regulations and telegraphic transfer (TT) verifications to address domestic dollar shortages, alongside setting long-term goals for domestic transactions to transition to Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR). -One Online——–
- Tourism Recovery: Tourist arrivals surpassed 1.35 million year-to-date, with China, Russia, and the United Kingdom remaining the leading source markets.- Arrivals showed a rebound in August after slower traffic earlier in the year caused by Middle Eastern aviation disruptions. -Corporate Maldives+ 1——–
- Housing Finance Initiatives: The government announced plans to introduce new financial assistance and equity-support programs to help citizens build homes on allocated residential plots.- One Online———
- Passport Validity Extension: Maldives Immigration announced temporary measures to extend existing passport validities to alleviate administrative delays linked to booklet inventory shortages. -One Online——–
- Political Dynamics: Political debate continues between the ruling administration and opposition figures concerning foreign exchange compliance and local council governance.
- Multilateral Stance: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated strong diplomatic support for Palestine at international forums, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), calling for decisive international action.- psmnews.mv———