Key figures of the tourism industry and government ministers met yesterday.

Participating in this meeting were Finance Minister Hassan Zameer, Tourism Minister Mohamed Ameen, Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed, Attorney General Ahmed Usham, and Commissioner General of Taxation Fathimath Ameeza.

Figures from the tourism sector such as one of the sector's most experienced businesspersons and Crown Company Chairperson Hussain Afeef (Champa Afeef), Sun Company head Ahmed Siyam, and Villa Company Managing Director Siyad Qasim participated.

According to the Tourism Ministry, the discussions in this meeting primarily focused on increasing the number of tourists arriving in the Maldives, achieving next year's targets, and finding solutions to existing challenges.

The ministry also stated that important goals were agreed upon based on the recommendations of industry experts.

"This is a reaffirmation of the priority given by the government to work closely with the tourism industry," the ministry stated.

The tourism industry's key figures met with the minister and attorney general as decisions have been made to bring further amendments to the changes brought to the law regarding the collection of TGST from booking platforms, tour operators, and travel agents that arrange bookings to the Maldives for tourists.

While that work is being carried out by the Attorney General's Office, the changes being brought to the law this time have not yet been disclosed.

With the ratification of the tax law amendment last month to collect TGST from tour operators and travel agents, major complaints have been continuously received from the tourism sector and foreign tour operators.

According to the law, such changes were brought to add principles under which GST will be collected from services provided by off-shore booking platforms and foreign tour operators and travel agents. The law states that these are changes brought to resolve difficulties in the tax collection system and strengthen the system.

If tax collection begins with these changes, it has been estimated that an additional MVR 1.6 billion will be added annually to the state, comprising MVR 299.3 million paid by foreign travel agents and MVR 1.3 billion paid by foreign tour operators.

Due to the changes brought to the law, some European tour operators have even suspended making bookings to the Maldives.