179 resorts in operation 952 guesthouses 879,154 visitor arrivals in 2026 Resorts host 70.4% of all visitors Highest service charge: Velaa — USD 3,660 / staff Service charge is 10% by law, distributed monthly
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Service Charge

Velaa leads the table again as three resorts top MVR 50,000

By MV Hotels Watch ·

Velaa Private Island distributed about USD 3,660 per employee, with Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi and Soneva Fushi also clearing MVR 50,000 each.

Velaa Private Island again paid the highest service charge of any Maldivian resort this month, distributing roughly USD 3,660 per employee.

Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi followed at about USD 3,320, and Soneva Fushi at USD 3,253 — both clearing MVR 50,000 per staff member. The figures continue a familiar pattern in which a small group of ultra-luxury properties sit far above the rest of the field.

As always, these numbers reflect what reaches workers, not headline room rates — and they come from employees themselves, since the Ministry of Tourism does not publish per-resort service charge.

Source: Corporate Maldives. Summarised in our own words; figures are indicative.

Service Charge

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