Fee to be levied on foreigners visiting Sultan and Lonuziyaarai parks

Male’ City Council, on Wednesday, has decided to levy a fee on foreigners visiting Sultan Park and Lonuziyaarai Park.

During a meeting on Wednesday, some council members expressed concern over the increased number of foreigners entering the Maldives. Manchangoalhi constituency councilor Ahmed Zameer, underscoring Male’ City was extremely open to foreigners, stressed this was not the practice in other foreign nations.

Councilors also expressed concern regarding the increased number of foreigners in public spaces including parks. Some of them, proposing levying a fee for foreigners visiting local parks, suggested levying a higher fee for tourists and a lower fee for foreigners living in the Maldives.

Speaking at the meeting, Male’ City Mayor Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said that levying a fee from foreigners visiting parks and public spaces is a practice followed in foreign countries.

Therewith, the council decided to impose two different fees on tourists and foreigners living in the Maldives. The decision was reached by the unanimous consensus of all councilors in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting.

The fees will be set within the next two weeks while the council will begin collecting the fee starting June 15^th.