Calls for boycotting the tourism sector in the Maldives have emerged in India following derogatory comments made by officials from the island country about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on various social media platforms.

The Indian PM called his recent vacation on the Indian Ocean Island Lakeshadwee an “exhilarating experience”

Lakshadweep is a union territory of India made up of 36 islands in the Laccadive Sea, off the coast of Kerala, India. The term Lakshadweep translates to a hundred thousand islands in both Malayalam and Sanskrit.

Lakshadweep boasts stunning shorelines, vibrant coral reefs, and lush scenery. The archipelago spans across an area of 30,000 square miles (78,000 square km) in the Arabian Sea.

70 miles South the Republic of Maldives is known for its stunning beaches, and coral reefs and did not need a competition emerging in India. Politicians in the Maldives agreed and posted heated comments against this Indian attempt to get awareness for this Indian Island group.

The former Maldivian Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Shiuna, posted a disrespectful and mocking comment about Indian PM Modi on X, but the post has since been deleted. Zahid Rameez, a member of the Senate from the Progressive Party of Maldives, reportedly made a comment implying that India’s notion of competing with them is unrealistic.

A major online ticket-booking platform in India made an announcement on Monday stating that they will temporarily halt all flight reservations to the Maldives as a form of support for their home country.

EaseMyTrip made its decision to cut the Maldives off in the wake of derogatory remarks made by three Maldivian ministers, Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, who referred to the Indian leader Modi as a “clown” and a “terrorist”.

Thrillophilia, an experiential travel tech organization catering to 2M+ travelers every month is offering its Indian clients, who booked a future trip to Maldives a full refund.

Mohamed Raaidh, a member of the World Tourism Network and director of the Maldives Integrated Tourism Development Corporation (MITDC) told eTurboNews: “Maldives tourism is going well – nothing serious on the matters. We always value our neighbors.

“I think both governments are working closely to have a good relationship despite any misunderstanding. I believe this conflict came from some activists from both sides and was escalated. We should not go down this part of the road.”

The Maldives Travel Professionals alliance has pleaded with EaseMyTrip’s Chief Executive Officer to resume accepting bookings.

The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators stressed that the tourism industry is vital for the archipelago country in South Asia and provides employment for approximately 44,000 Maldivians. In their letter, Maldivian tourism professionals expressed concern about the potential negative effects on the economy if tourism is negatively impacted.

The Maldives Association of Tourism Industry has expressed strong disapproval of the ministers’ derogatory remarks in a separate action. Recognizing India as a close neighbor and ally of the Maldives, the association emphasized the importance of a lasting relationship between the two nations for future generations.

Three Maldivian ministers were fired over their derogatory remarks, and the country’s Foreign Ministry stressed that the comments made by the dismissed officials were their personal opinions and not the official position of the country’s government. Nevertheless, numerous Maldivian opposition figures are calling for newly elected President Mohamed Muizzu to be held responsible.

Social media users expressed their opinions about Modi’s posts on X (formerly Twitter) endorsing tourism in Lakshadweep, a group of islands by the Indian coast. This led to a strong response from Maldives ministers, which ignited widespread outrage in India. As a result, hashtags like #BoycottMaldives and #ExploreIndianIslands gained popularity on social media.

Numerous Indian celebrities have expressed support for Modi by using social media to encourage people to visit Lakshadweep, a place renowned for its peaceful scenery, while major tour operators, reported a staggering 3,400% surge in searches for Lakshadweep on their platform since Modi’s visit to the islands in January.

Meanwhile, Muizzu, who has embarked on a five-day state visit to China amid the unfolding spat with New Delhi, urged Beijing to send more tourists to his country. Speaking at a forum in the Fujian province on Tuesday, Muizzu said China was the Maldives’ “number one market pre-Covid” and urged the country to “intensify efforts” to “regain this position.”

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu who is currently on a five-day official trip to China, called for increased tourism from Beijing to his country. Addressing a forum in Fujian province yesterday, Muizzu emphasized that China was the Maldives’ primary market before the global COVID-19 pandemic and urged them to ramp up their endeavors to reclaim that position.

According to Maldives Tourism Ministry data, India topped the list of visitors to the island nation in 2023 with 209,198 arrivals, while Russia was a close second with 209,146 travelers. China was third on the list with 187,118 visits recorded last year.

Maldives Tourism Ministry data reveals that India was the leading country in terms of visitor numbers to the Maldives in 2023, with a total of 209,198 arrivals. followed by Russia with 209,146 tourists, and China with 187,118 recorded visits.