In an apparent bid to woo Indian tourists back to the Maldives, a major tourism body in Male has announced that it will hold road shows across key Indian cities.
The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) on Tuesday held discussions with India's High Commissioner Munu Mahawar, on enhancing travel and tourism cooperation between the two countries.
The Maldives tourism industry reportedly started feeling the pinch of declined revenue after a massive decline in Indian tourists following a diplomatic row.
MATATO Meets with Indian High Commissioner to Foster Tourism Cooperation
April 9, 2024
The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) engaged in a productive meeting with His Excellency Munu Mahawar, the Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives, to explore collaborative… pic.twitter.com/PNXiy3QdVzMaldives Tourist Statistics
According to statistics by the Maldives Ministry of Tourism, as of April 10, 2024, of the total 6,63,269 tourists arriving, China has the lead with 71,995, followed by the United Kingdom (66,999), Russia (66,803), Italy (61,379), Germany (52,256) and India (37,417).
India occupied the sixth spot in tourist arrivals in 2024 compared to the consistent first spot since 2020 with Indians visiting the island nation even during the pandemic. As of March 2, tourist arrivals from India were 27,224, which is a 33% decline compared to last year when the number stood at 41,224.
Maldives To Woo Indian Tourists
The MATATO said in a statement that they had expressed their intention to collaborate closely with the Indian High Commission in Maldives to give tourism a fillip.
“While India remains a crucial tourist market to the Maldives, MATATO states they look forward to partnering with prominent travel associations and industry stakeholders across India to further promote the Maldives as a premier travel destination,” it said.
A full-blown backlash ensued against the Maldives after three Maldivian officials made derogatory comments about India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. This happened after the PM shared photos and videos on X that showed the pristine Lakshadweep Islands off India's west coast in early January. Scores of Indians, including multiple celebrities, cancelled their reservations and dropped plans to visit Maldives, thus affecting their tourism.
with inputs from PTI
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