“In solidarity with our nation, @EaseMyTrip has suspended all Maldives flight bookings,” posted Pitti .
The travel solutions provider EaseMyTrip has also started visit Lakshadweep campaign by #ChaloLakshadweep
“Water & beaches of Lakshadweep are as good as Maldives/Seychelles We at @EaseMyTrip will come up with crazy special-offers to promote this pristine destination that our PM @narendramodi has recently visited!,” said Pitti in another post.
In the midst of an escalating row between India and the Maldives, hashtag #BoycottMaldives gained traction on social media platforms in India. Reports claim that several Indian tourists have canceled their scheduled vacations to the island nation.
The Indian Association of Tour Operators predicted that the call for a boycott would become apparent within the next 20-25 days. “Suddenly, there has been no inquiry on Maldives. There are sudden drops. Those who have made payments will not cancel them. We are expecting that people will not book trips to the Maldives,” Rajiv Mehra, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, said.
Most tourists in Maldives from India in 2023
The Maldives is reported to be a popular tourist destination among Indian tourists. According to data from the country’s tourism ministry, Indians were the highest among visitors to the Maldives till December 2023. The largest number of tourists who visited the Maldives were from India (2,09,198), followed by Russia (2,09,146) and China (1,87,118).
“Maldives is quite popular among Indians. But this incident will have an impact. We are also seeing an impact right now as well. We are expecting a downfall in people choosing the Maldives as a tourist destination,” a Delhi-based tour operator said on the condition of anonymity.
Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid were suspended over their remarks against PM Modi, which triggered a massive backlash.