Maldivian reduces surfboard charge

The national airline, Maldivian, has reduced the charge it imposes on passengers for carriage of surfboards.

The airline announced the reduction in the charge on Sunday.

The move comes after Ahmed Rasheed, a resident of GDh. Gadhdhoo, expressed concern over the high surfboard charge on Wednesday, via the Q&A platform ‘Raeesge Javaab’.

He said that it costs around USD 800 for tourists to purchase two-way tickets and pay the surfboard charge when traveling to Gadhdhoo – an island popular for surfing.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu responded that he would reduce the charge.

On Sunday, Maldivian announced it had revamped its surfboard categories with price reductions.

As such, the charge for large surfboards (86” x 24”) with the thickness or width between six to 10 inches has been reduced by 33 percent, while a new category has been introduced for small surfboards with the width up to five inches has been reduced by 66 percent from the original rate.

The southern island of Gadhdhoo is home to some of the best surf points in the Maldives, including the Tiger Stripes surf point, making it a favorite among surfing enthusiasts.