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Popular Italian tour operator Kia Ora Viaggi has suspended new bookings and holiday sales to the Maldives following MIRA’s enforcement of new TGST regulations on foreign tour operators and booking platforms.
News Desk
Tourists in Velana International Airport -
MALE : Popular Italian tour operator Kia Ora Viaggi suspended new bookings and travel sales to the Maldives yesterday following the government’s enforcement of new Tourism Goods and Services Tax (TGST) rules on foreign travel providers.
In an official statement published on its website, the company confirmed the immediate suspension of new package sales and client bookings. Kia Ora Viaggi stated that the suspension will remain in place until the Maldivian government restores an environment that respects fairness and international commercial laws.
The company argued that requiring foreign intermediaries based in Italy with no physical presence in the Maldives to register with MIRA and pay a 17 percent TGST on consultancy and intermediary margins violates international legal principles. It highlighted that regular GST and Green Tax are already consistently paid on all resort bookings, domestic transport, and direct services rendered within the Maldives.
The operator reassured existing travelers that confirmed bookings will proceed as agreed without price changes. Kia Ora Viaggi noted that its decision aligns with a broader European trade response, pointing out that the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA) submitted a formal letter of concern to the Maldivian Embassy in Brussels, while the UK’s Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) requested the Ministry of Tourism to delay the tax implementation.
MIRA officially began enforcing the mandatory TGST collection and registration rules for foreign tour operators and online booking platforms on October 1.
