The Maldives, open for investment.

Foreigners cannot own freehold land, but that is not how the sector works for anyone. Islands and plots designated for tourism are leased from the State, and those leasehold interests — together with the company that holds them — can be held by foreign investors. Wholly foreign-owned companies are permitted in the activities we cover, subject to registration under the foreign investment framework and any applicable minimum-investment threshold.

Tourism leases have historically been granted for up to 50 years, with an extension to a maximum of 99 years available on payment of the prescribed fee under the Tourism Act. Remaining term is one of the single biggest drivers of value, so we verify it on the register at the outset of every transaction.

A local-island guesthouse can be entered from roughly USD 300,000 for a small trading property, while a purpose-built boutique hotel typically starts around USD 1.5–3 million. Resort development is an entirely different scale — expect USD 15 million and upwards once the lease, construction and pre-opening costs are combined. Operating businesses sit anywhere in between and often require the least capital for the most immediate cash flow.

The Maldives does not impose exchange controls that block the repatriation of profits or capital, and the US dollar circulates freely alongside the rufiyaa. Banks apply their own compliance and documentation requirements, and there are foreign-currency-exchange rules for tourism earnings, so we structure banking arrangements alongside the transaction rather than after it.

The principal charges are corporate income tax on profits above the statutory threshold, goods and services tax — levied at the higher tourism rate on resorts, hotels and guesthouses — plus green tax per guest night, airport charges, and lease or land rent where applicable. Rates are set by statute and have changed more than once in recent years, so we confirm the current position with local counsel as part of every deal.

No. Most of our international clients hold their asset through a Maldivian company with a resident director and appointed management — either a hotel operator, a branded management agreement, or an independent operator for smaller properties. We can introduce and help contract each of these, then report to you on performance.