The Maldives, known for its gorgeous beaches and luxury tourism, has seen a substantial shift in its tourist demographics, with Indian visitors slipping from third to fifth place in just three weeks, according to data from the Maldives' tourism ministry.
This change is occurring at the same time that diplomatic tensions between India and the Maldives are rising as a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent trip to the Arabian Sea Indian archipelago.
Indian travelers, who will account for around 11% of the Maldives' tourism industry in 2023, have long been a significant market for the country. But Modi's beach trip to Lakshadweep on January 2 sparked a storm of controversy that resulted in a sharp drop in the number of Indian tourists.
India slips to 5th place on Maldives' tourism charts amid diplomatic tensions https://t.co/eM2KZcOoGi— sanjive sethi .🇮🇳 (@sas96553801) January 29, 2024
All about the controversy
Modi's visit to Lakshadweep and subsequent social media posts were viewed by some Maldivians as a planned ploy to distract tourists away from their country. Social media sites in India saw a surge of anti-Maldives sentiment when three junior ministers in the Mohamed Muizzu cabinet made disparaging remarks against the prime minister.
Social media users began to share the hashtag #BoycottMaldives along with stories of travel plans to the island nation being canceled. In support of the country, the Indian travel website EaseMyTrip halted reservations for flights to the Maldives.
The Maldives officials later deleted their posts and were suspended by the country's president for posting derogatory comments against India. Maldives foreign minister Moosa Zameer called the officials’ remarks “unacceptable,” and said his country is committed to “fostering a positive and constructive dialogue with our partners.”
A decline in Indian tourists in Maldives
According to the Maldives tourist website, India began 2024 as the third largest contributor to tourism, accounting for 7.1% of the industry, while China did not even make the top ten list.
But following the diplomatic spat, the numbers saw a sharp shift. India's market share for Maldives tourism was 8% as of January 28, although China and the UK outperformed it, ranking third and fourth in the top 10 list, respectively.
Image Source: Mint
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