The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) has stated that the "Boycott Maldives" campaign initiated by some Indians has not led to a decline in the number of tourists visiting the Maldives.
Earlier this month, Indian PM Modi shared a video promoting tourism in India's Lakshadweep archipelago on social media channels. Despite India being the top tourism market for the Maldives in 2023, comments from Indian nationals on the post implied that Indians should consider visiting their own territories rather than the Maldives. While both Indians and Maldivians were engaged in back-and-forth banter on social media over the post, the situation escalated when three junior ministers of the Maldives government responded to the original post with derogatory remarks using inappropriate language. In response to the incident, the three officials were suspended, and the Maldives government issued a statement asserting its willingness to take action against those who disrespect foreign leaders. Amidst these developments, calls for a boycott of the Maldives from some Indian nationals continue to persist.
Sharing the results of a survey conducted by MATATO to track the number of booking cancellations by Indian tourists, the association said Indian tourists began flocking to the Maldives in significant numbers from 2020 onwards, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine measures. While the Maldives received 62,690 tourists from India in 2020, the number soared to 292,000 in 2021. In 2022, the total number of Indian tourists was 241,000, and 209,100 in 2023. While MATATO acknowledged the cancellation of certain Indian bookings, the association also highlighted that the survey indicates Indian tourism has decreased to a level similar to that of previous years during the corresponding period.
