After the India-Maldives Row, the island country has noticed a significant change in its tourist demographics in the past three weeks. As per the data shared by the country’s ministry, the number of Indian tourists visiting the nation has dropped considerably. Based on the data now Indians have fallen from being the largest group to being the fifth largest group to visit the country.
Also read: Why Indian Tourists Prefer Maldives Over Lakshadweep? Explained
Maldives Tourists Demographics
As per the data revealed by the Maldivian Government, Russians form the biggest group of tourists with 18,561 tourists, while Italy takes the second spot with 18,111 arrivals, followed by China and the UK with 16,529, and 14,588 tourists in 2023, respectively. The ranks are followed by India in fifth position (with 13,989 arrivals), Germany in sixth, the USA in seventh, France in eighth, Poland in ninth, and Switzerland in tenth position.
With 209,198 visitors as of December 31 of last year, India ranked first in terms of visitor numbers, accounting for almost 11 percent of the Maldives’ total tourism revenue for that year. Maldives is one of the most preferred tourist destinations from India.
India-Maldives Dispute
The change in the numbers coincides with the escalation of diplomatic tension between India and Maldives after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep on January 2, 2024. The diplomatic rift between the two nations increased after a Maldivian minister said that India was deliberately targeting the country and that India was finding it difficult to compete with the Maldives in beach tourism.
The two nations’ diplomatic tensions have been rising, particularly since President Mohamed Muizzu took office in November of last year, indicating a change in foreign policy away from the prior “India first” strategy and towards stronger ties with China.
At the time, #BoycottMaldives was trending on social media. Later on, multiple people shared posts showing that they had cancelled their trips to the island nation. Meanwhile, an Indian travel website EaseMyTrip suspended flight bookings for Maldives.
Also read: Can Lakshadweep Overthrow Maldives To Attract More Tourists? Entry Permit, How To Reach
Are Indians Visiting Lakshadweep?
The whole fiasco started when social media users started comparing Maldives with Lakshadweep, post the visit of PM Modi. There was a campaign to promote Lakshadweep as a preferred beach destination over Maldives. Third party booking websites like Make My Trip and Ease My Trip revealed that there’s a surge in the quaries related to Lakshadweep travel.
As per the information shared on the official website of Lakshadweep, the archipelago is situated in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of Kerala. The islands are located 300 km away from Koch. Lakshadweep occupies a total area of 32 sq km, comprising a group of 36 islands known for its exotic and sun-kissed beaches and lush green landscape.
The name Lakshadweep in Malayalam and Sanskrit means ‘a hundred thousand islands’. It is the India’s smallest Union Territory comprises of 12 atolls, three reefs, five submerged banks and ten inhabited islands. The capital is Kavaratti and it is also the principal town of the UT.
The major concern of many planning to visit the island is the restricted entry to Lakshadweep, despite being part of India. As per the official website, one requires an entry permit issued by Lakshadweep Administration to visit these islands.