Once a favourite destination among Indian travellers, the demand for a holiday in the Maldives has dampened significantly after the controversy involving unfavourable remarks made on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by three ministers of the island country. The lack of enquiries received by the Maldives attests to its current unpopularity, reported the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) on Monday.
Regarding the row's impact, IATO's President Rajiv Mehra said, "We have not seen cancellations because people have invested money on bookings related to travel. However, in 15-20 days, we may see some impact." The impact has been in the number of people who wish to visit Maldives for their next holiday, as Mehra informs that there have been no new enquiries from Indian tourists.
The controversy and the following reaction have been noted to bruise the island country's economy, as over 20 per cent depends on tourism, and India has been a top market for the destination. According to Jyoti Mayal, President of the Travel Agents Association of India, a potential travel boycott by Indians, if it happens, may become a "pain point" considering that the Indian market aided in Maldives' resurgence after the setback suffered due to COVID-19. Talking about the impact on the Maldives hospitality industry, Mayal said, "Some of our travel operators have informed us that they have seen a surge in cancellations in hotel bookings in Maldives."
While the issue has stirred up a new interest among Indian travellers to consider Lakshwadeep, the destination's hospitality industry is currently inadequate to cater to the surge in demand. Mayal highlighted the need for infrastructure development for more tourists to visit Lakshadweep. Meanwhile, Mehra supplemented this with the observation that there also needs to be an increased availability of flights and cruises to the Island to encourage travellers.
(With inputs from PTI)