Gov’t Collects Over USD 5 Million in Unpaid Rent from Tourist Resorts
The government has collected over USD 5 million from unpaid rent by tourist resorts in the past seventeen days, Minister of Tourism Ibrahim Faisal announced.
Speaking to SanguTV last night, Faisal explained that the government issued notices to several resorts that had not paid their land rent, aiming to collect the outstanding dues.
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Faisal emphasised the necessity for the government to facilitate a way for companies that have made significant investments in tourism to pay back the rent and fees owed.
The Ministry of Tourism will prepare a policy paper for the economic council, outlining a plan to collect unpaid fees from tourism operators and investors. Faisal stated, “They must pay those fees even if it is under an installment scheme. I will prepare a paper and submit it to the economic council. At maximum, we can give five years, but they have to pay it back.”
Additionally, Faisal criticised the previous government for deferring land rent for resorts in the aftermath of the pandemic. He also claimed that 18 islands were leased in the last two days of the former administration.
According to statistics released by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ahmed Nazim, over USD 452 million is owed to the government as land rent from tourism operators, with an additional USD 109 million in unpaid tourism goods and services tax (T-GST).
