Indian tourists have been canceling hotel bookings after a campaign backed by famous film stars called for visiting Lakshadweep instead of the Maldives, according to Indian newspapers and social media accounts.
A campaign against the Maldives was launched over the mockery of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media by three Maldivian deputy ministers. The deputy youth ministers Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef and Mahzoom Majid were suspended over the derogatory remarks.
According to some Indian newspapers and social media accounts, 10,500 hotel bookings and 5,520 flight bookings have been canceled amid the campaign. But the numbers have not been verified yet.
In addition, popular Indian travel agency "Ease My Travel" has cancelled all flight bookings to the Maldives. In a post on X, the company's CEO Nishant Pitti said the decision was made in solidarity with the nation.
A Tourism Ministry official told Adhadhu that it would take a week to gather figures related to the cancelations. Resorts have not provided such information yet, the official added.
Fathmath Thaufeeq, managing director of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), which has a mandate to promote the country, told Adhadhu that the the Tourism Ministry maintains data on booking cancelations, which was "not part of the MMPRC's mandate."
Stakeholders of the Maldives tourism industry have also started expressing concern over the coordinated social media campaign in India.
Indian tourists play an important role in the success of Maldives tourism, the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) said in a statement.
"The Indian market plays a pivotal role in the success of the Maldivian tourism sector, supporting guest houses and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that depend on the influx of Indian visitors. MATATO urges all stakeholders to recognize the interconnectedness of our economies and the shared benefits that come from a harmonious relationship between the Maldives and India," the statement read.
India was the top source market for tourists to the Maldives in 2021, 2022 and 2023 with more than 200,000 visitors every year.
