India-Maldives row escalates, agency suspends flight bookings to islands
One of India's largest travel platforms suspended flight bookings to the Maldives after disparaging social media posts against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embittered relations between the two countries.
Suspension of Flight Bookings to Maldives
EaseMyTrip, one of India's largest travel platforms, announced that it has suspended flight bookings to the Maldives following a controversy over disparaging social media posts against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The suspension of flight bookings is an indefinite measure taken by EaseMyTrip, and it is expected to impact the tourism industry in the Maldives significantly.
The Maldives relies heavily on tourism, with almost one-third of its economy being driven by the industry. India and Russia are the largest sources of visitors to the Maldives.
Tense Relations between India and Maldives
Relations between India and the Maldives have been tense since President Mohamed Muizzu assumed power. President Muizzu, who won the election on an 'India Out' campaign, has been breaking from the tradition of choosing India as the first international port of call.
In this context, the controversy over the derogatory comments by three Maldivian now-suspended ministers about Modi has further strained the relationship between the two countries.
Both China and India are vying for influence in the Maldives, and this incident has exacerbated the competition between the two Asian giants.
Promotion of Domestic Tourism
Following the controversy, many Indians, including celebrities, have been promoting domestic destinations over the Maldives. This shift in focus towards domestic tourism may lead to a temporary decline in international tourism for EaseMyTrip.
EaseMyTrip, which currently holds a 22% market share in online travel booking in India, has expressed its support for promoting the Lakshadweep islands in India over any foreign location.
Despite the temporary dip in international tourism, the promotion of domestic destinations reflects the desire to support the Indian tourism industry and divert attention from the Maldives.
