Diving schools have become the fastest-growing segment of the Maldives’ tourism sector, recording a 47% expansion, according to statistics released by the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA).
MIRA’s first-quarter report shows the broader tourism industry generated USD 447 million in output tax during the first quarter of this year. This marks a 20.5% increase over the USD 371 million collected in the same period last year.
Diving schools posted the sharpest growth among all industry components. The segment recorded USD 32.03 million in revenue during the quarter, a 47.7% surge from the USD 21.68 million reported a year earlier.
Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections from these establishments rose 39.5%, a pace that far outstripped the growth of the wider tourism sector.
Other marine recreation businesses also delivered strong results. Water sports centers grew revenue by 49.2%, climbing USD 12.37 million from USD 8.2 million. Homestay guesthouses recorded an even steeper percentage growth of 60.8%, although their overall contribution to the market remain small.
Resorts, which hold the largest share of tourism revenue, posted a more moderate increase of 21.0%.
The figures cover the reporting period from December 2205 through February 2026.