Tourists From India Down 50% Since 2024; Maldives Pins Hopes On PM Modi's Trip To Bring Them Back
The economy of the Maldives depends in a big way on tourism, and the drop in Indian tourists has hit the country hard
There is a big reason why the Maldives is looking at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit with great hope—it wishes that Indian tourists get the message and start coming again in big numbers to enjoy its exotic islands and turquoise blue waters. Tourism from India to the Maldives has dropped by almost 50 per cent.
Till 2023, India was the number 1 country when it came to contributing tourists to the Maldives. In 2022 and 2023, as many as 2.4 lakh and 2.06 lakh Indian tourists, respectively, went to the Maldives, more than from any other country. But the reaction of some senior functionaries of the Maldives to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lakshadweep in January 2024 drew an angry response in India, and Indians started shunning the Maldives. The impact was humungous.
Last year, only 1.3 lakh Indians visited the Maldives, and India dropped to the number 6 spot among countries contributing tourists. This year, till July 22, just 73,200 Indians have visited the Maldives, and India remains at the number 6 spot with a 6% market share in all tourists coming to the archipelagic country. It is almost the same as last year. China now contributes the maximum tourists to the Maldives, with 1.75 lakh Chinese tourists arriving this year.
The economy of the Maldives depends in a big way on tourism, and the drop in Indian tourists has hit the country hard. Locals in Male told News18 that they regret the harsh response from the Maldives functionaries in 2024 when they said their country's tourist infrastructure was unmatched compared to India. 'We want Indians to come in big numbers to the Maldives like earlier. Their PM is coming. Bad relations in 2024 are a thing of the past," locals said.
Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri said earlier this week that India wants to introduce UPI in the Maldives, which will attract more Indian tourists—an agreement may be signed soon. India is also helping build the Hanimaadhoo International Airport in the Maldives through a line of credit that will be the northernmost airport of the country and just an hour away from southern Indian cities. The Maldives hopes this will make it more accessible for Indian travellers. India is supporting many tourism projects in the Maldives.
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