Indian tourists in Maldives decline by 33% amid diplomatic row, India drops to 6th position on visitor rankings

NEW DELHI: Amid an ongoing diplomatic row, the number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has dropped by 33 per cent as compared to last year, Maldivian website Adhadhu reported, citing data from the Maldives Tourism Ministry.

Decrease in market share

According to Tourism Ministry statistics for the year 2023, the number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives by March 4 last year was 41,054.However, as of March 2 this year, the number has decreased to 27,224, which is 13,830 less than the previous year, as reported by Maldives-based Adhadhu.
Last year, India was the second largest source market for tourists to the Maldives, accounting for 10 per cent of market share during the same period. However, India has now dropped to the sixth position on the list, with a market share of 6%.
India was the top tourist market for the Maldives, with over 200,000 tourists per year from 2021 to 2023.

Diplomatic row led to decline in Indian tourist market in Maldives

The diplomatic row began hours after President Mohamed Muizzu, a pro-China leader, took oath in November 2023 and vowed to ensure Maldives’ ‘sovereignty’ and one of the first steps was to demand India to withdraw all its troops.
He also broke from tradition and decided to go to Beijing on his maiden foreign trip instead of New Delhi.
The controversy worsened when three Maldivian deputy ministers made derogatory comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding his visit to Lakshadweep and his call for the development of the Indian island cluster as a beach tourism destination.
This led to a major diplomatic dispute, with New Delhi summoning the Maldivian envoy and registering a strong protest against the viral posts. The three deputy ministers have been suspended but remain on paid suspension.
Earlier this year, the Maldives tourism industry expressed concerns as a boycott campaign gained momentum in India and received support from popular Indian film stars.
As reported by Adhadhu, the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) conducted a survey to assess the impact of booking cancellations by Indian guests, but the findings were not made public.
However, as ties between China and the Maldives strengthen, China has become the top market, with over 54,000 tourist arrivals so far this year.

(With inputs from agencies)