Maldives stares at Indian tourists drying up as travel biggies join boycott call; step up desi focus

NEW DELHI: Mounting anger over derogatory remarks made by Maldives politicians against PM Modi is now leading to some travel biggies and industry chambers stopping sales of packages to the archipelago and issuing boycott calls. On the other hand, travel portals are reporting a massive surge in search for idyllic desi destinations like Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar by potential holidayers.Nishant Pitti, CEO & co-founder of EaseMyTrip (EMT), said Monday on Twitter (now X) his portal “has suspended all Maldives flight bookings.. in solidarity with our nation.” “Embark on a journey… to discover the enchanting beauty of Ayodhya and the pristine allure of Lakshadweep! Immerse yourself in rich culture and breathtaking landscapes. Say no to Maldives bookings and explore the wonders of Ayodhya and Lakshadweep,” Pitti said in another X post. Incidentally, EMT shares rose 4.7% to Rs 43.36 on Monday BSE when the broader market was down 0.9%.India’s biggest online travel agency (OTA) MakeMyTrip (MMT) says it has “observed a 3,400% increase in on-platform searches for Lakshadweep ever since PM Modi’s visit. This interest in Indian beaches has inspired us to launch a ‘Beaches of India’ campaign on the platform with offers and discounts to encourage Indian travellers to explore the country’s stunning beaches” MMT said on X.

Bollywood celebrities rally behind PM Modi, support #BoycottMaldives

The Indian Chamber of Commerce on Monday issued an “appeal to boycott Maldives”. Travel industry veteran Subhash Goyal, who heads ICC’s aviation and tourism committee, has appealed to all Indian trade associations to “stop promoting Maldives” and divert “such queries to Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands which are even better than Maldives in many ways.. other destinations that can be promoted in the Indian Ocean region are Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Bali, Phuket etc,” he said.Goyal “appealed” Indian carriers to suspend flights to Maldives and asked Indian hotel companies to invest in Lakshadweep “for better returns.” Goyal’s STC Travels has also stopped selling Maldives (packages, tickets etc), he added.Indian hotel majors say they are scouting for more sites in upcoming Indian tourism magnets like the islands. ITC and Taj, for instance, have hotels in Andamans and are looking to open more there. Taj has already announced it will open new hotels in Lakshadweep’s Suheli and Kadmat islands by 2026. While it is looking to open several more, other hotel biggies are planning to enter in a big way.Airlines and travel agencies say it is too early to comment on cancellations being reported for Maldives. “People who have already paid will face cancellations if they don’t go. But fresh inquiries have almost dropped for now,” said a Delhi-based travel agent. The anger stems in India from the fact that travellers from here helped Maldives economy remain afloat during Covid by emerging as the biggest source market for the archipelago. (see box) As of now, six Indian cities have almost 60 weekly flights to Male.Watch Worldwide Google searches for ‘Lakshadweep’ reach all-time high after PM Narendra Modi’s visit