New Delhi: Days after three Maldivian ministers stoked controversy with their offending & distasteful remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maldives government had stepped in to prevent likely backlash from India, Indian tourists & the likely impact on its tourism-driven economy.
However, its fears are sooner than later turning into reality. Country’s official data shows a dip in number of Indian tourists heading to the archipelago. The plummeting numbers though are small & too early for ‘assessment’ but they are bound to send alarm bells ringing for the Maldivian government.
Notably, Maldives economy remains hugely dependent on its tourism and employs a huge workforce in various sectors including hotel businesses, adventurous sports & others. India remains among the top ranking nations visiting Maldives for holiday.
How numbers of Indian tourists took a hit
Last year, a total of 209,198 Indians visited Maldives for holiday, which averaged at 572 visitors on daily basis. India topped the charts for year 2022 and 2023 as maximum number of foreign nationals visiting the country were Indians. In 2023, Indian travelers accounted for 11.1 market share of its tourism business.
Today, the daily average has dipped by about 175 tourists per day. Maldives’ official data collated by a leading portal shows this number at 400 tourists/day.
Till January 8,2024, about 3,334 Indian tourists visited the archipelago with exotic resorts. This puts India at Number 4 spot while Russia, Italy and the UK moving ahead and occupying first to third slots.
The slide in Maldives tourism from India comes as gnawing concern for the country’s tourism business. If more & more Indians start showing solidarity with ‘PM Modi’s push for Lakshadweep tourism’, it is bound to lose a large share of travelers, thus adversely impacting its flourishing tourism business.
Travel agents fret over ‘dipping’ Indian travellers
Maldives based tour operators are already fretting over the falling numbers in New Year. Usually, this is a time for booming business on account of new year but this slide in numbers has left them anxious & worried.
Many travel agents, tour operators and local businesses are anticipating more ripple effect of Lakshadweep-Maldives controversy, in the backdrop of its ministers ranting against Indian Prime Minister.
Maldives Association of Travel agents and tour operators has also written to EaseMyTrip CEO for re-opening its flight bookings to the country. The online travel firm had cancelled all its bookings to the country, after 3 Maldivian ministers went on a ‘slander campaign’ against PM Modi.
The biggest fear of Maldives based tourism businesses is that if its boycott takes precedence and Indians start opting for Lakshadweep instead, it will have to pay a heavy price for its ministers’ ranting.
How Indians holiday in Maldives in recent years
Indians have been biggest contributors to Maldives tourism in last few years. In 2019, Indians ranked at fourth-fifth spot but in subsequent years, the numbers jumped significantly. In 2023, Indians alone account for 11.1% share of its tourism.
According to Maldives tourism ministry, over 2 lakh Indians visited the country last year. Even during Covid pandemic, about 60,000 Indians headed to the archipelago for holiday.