Amidst the escalating dispute between India and the Maldives, the hashtag #BoycottMaldives gained popularity on social media as Indian tourists began to cancel their planned trips to the island nation.
The derogatory comments made by Maldivian ministers against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi prompted Nishant Pitti, the co-founder and CEO of EaseMyTrip, to announce the suspension of all flight bookings to the Maldives. In a show of solidarity with India, Pitti took to social media X to state, “In support of our country, @EaseMyTrip has decided to suspend all flight bookings to the Maldives.”
EaseMyTrip, an online travel solutions provider, launched the #ChaloLakshadweep campaign to promote the beauty of Lakshadweep. In a post on X, Pitti mentioned, “The water and beaches of Lakshadweep are just as stunning as those in Maldives/Seychelles. @EaseMyTrip will offer special and exciting deals to promote this pristine destination, which our Prime Minister @narendramodi recently visited!”
In the midst of the ongoing dispute between India and the Maldives, the hashtag #BoycottMaldives gained momentum on social media as Indian tourists began canceling their planned vacations to the island nation.
Maldivian ministers sparked controversy by making derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and mocking his visit to Lakshadweep, portraying it as a tourist destination exclusively for Indians.
Earlier in the day, the Indian Association of Tour Operators predicted that the boycott movement would gain prominence within the next 20-25 days.
Sudden drop in inquiry on Maldives
Several Indians on various social media platforms have asserted that they have decided to cancel their previously planned vacations to the Maldives. Rajiv Mehra, the president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, stated that there has been a sudden decline in inquiries about the Maldives and expressed his expectation that people will refrain from booking trips to the island nation. Another tour operator echoed this sentiment, attributing the decrease in interest to statements made by politicians that discourage people from choosing the Maldives as a travel destination.
The Maldives has been a popular choice among Indian tourists, with the highest number of visitors to the country until December 2023 being from India, followed by Russia and China. A Delhi-based tour operator, speaking anonymously, also acknowledged the impact of recent events on the popularity of the Maldives as a tourist destination. In response to derogatory remarks made against PM Modi by Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid, the three individuals were suspended, leading to a significant backlash. Shiuna’s offensive post on social media platform X, which featured images of PM Modi during his visit to Lakshadweep, has since been deleted. Additionally, the Maldives government suspended three ministers for their derogatory comments about PM Modi. Meanwhile, in the midst of escalating tensions between India and the Maldives, several celebrities from the Indian film industry have initiated a “visit Lakshadweep” campaign, encouraging people to explore the Indian islands using the hashtag #ExploreIndianIslands.