After online travel company EaseMyTrip announced the cancellation of all flight bookings to Maldives amid the diplomatic row between India and the island nation, a travel and tour operator body of the Maldives, Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) offered "sincere apology" in a bid to avert a potentially adverse impact on tourism.
In a series of posts on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, EaseMyTrip CEO Nishant Pitti said the "Water & beaches of Lakshadweep are as good as Maldives/Seychelles. We at @EaseMyTrip will come up with crazy special offers to promote this pristine destination that our PM @narendramodi has recently visited!"
The EaseMyTrip CEO also asked the travellers to "Say no to Maldives bookings and explore the wonders of Ayodhya and Lakshadweep."
Tourism is the lifeblood of the island nation, contributing over two-thirds of our GDP and providing livelihoods to nearly 44,000 Maldivians. MATATO, in its letter to EaseMyTrip CEO noted that a potential adverse impact on tourism holds the power to unleash severe repercussions on the country's economy.
The recent events (criticism of India and its prime minister by three three deputy ministers, who have now been suspended, following Modi's visit to Lakshadweep, inferring that it was an attempt to project the Union Territory as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives) have cast a somber shadow on the relationship between India and Maldives, the letter said.
Signed by MATATO president Abdulla Ghiyas and vice president Mohamed Shaz Waleed and addressed to Pitti, the letter read: "We want you to know that the bonds connecting our nations transcend politics. We consider our Indian counterparts not just as business associates but as cherished brothers and sisters."
"We firmly believe that collaborative efforts and open communication are essential in preserving friendly relations, facilitating trade, and encouraging cultural exchanges between our nations to remain strong and unhindered."
The forum said it understands that these relationships extend beyond the professional realm and serve as a testament to the enduring friendship and partnership between our two nations.
MATATO said it humbly seeks assistance and support in fostering positive relations and dispelling any misunderstandings that may have arisen.
According to the Maldives Tourism Ministry statistics, over 17 lakh tourists visited the island nation in 2023, out of which more than 2,09,198 visitors were Indians. More than 2.4 lakh Indians visited the island nation in 2022, while this number stood at 2.11 lakh in 2021.
