India’s sports tourism market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 17% and reach $53 billion by 2033. A new report by KPMG – ‘Harnessing India’s Sports Tourism Potential’ – looks at the challenges India faces in capturing this potential.
#BoycottMaldives Thaws in India: EaseMyTrip Resumes Bookings After 'Improved Ties'
05.10.2024 - 19:31 / skift.com / Peden Doma Bhutia / Prashant Pitti / Narendra Modi
Indian online travel company EaseMyTrip has resumed flight bookings to the Maldives. This comes after EaseMyTrip suspended services in January following a diplomatic spat between the two nations.
In a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Friday, EaseMyTrip announced the resumption of flight bookings to the Maldives, citing “improved bilateral ties” between both the governments and positive discussions with the Maldives tourism ministry.
“Basis positive developments in mending India-Maldives bilateral ties, by both governments, we are resuming bookings to the Maldives,” said Nishant Pitti, co-founder and CEO of EaseMyTrip.
EaseMyTrip suspended all bookings to the Maldives earlier this year in response to diplomatic tensions, sparked by disparaging remarks allegedly made by Maldivian politicians about India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This incident led to the social media campaign #BoycottMaldives, which saw significant cancellations of trips from India to the island nation. Prashant Pitti, the co-founder of EaseMyTrip, publicly stated that the company would put “nation first” and stand in solidarity with the Indian government.
The travel industry felt the strain, as reports stated that over 8,000 hotel bookings and more than 2,500 flight tickets had been canceled.
Given that tourism accounts for two-thirds of Maldives’ GDP, the impact was severe, especially on guesthouses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that rely on Indian visitors. According to Abdulla Ghiyas, president of the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators, the economic fallout was clear, prompting a formal request from the tourism association to EaseMyTrip to reconsider its stance.
Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators writes to EaseMyTrip CEO Nishant Pitti to re-open flight bookings to Maldives pic.twitter.com/ojCxpPar7b
Fast forward to October, and the situation has improved dramatically. Nishant Pitti said the decision also comes after a constructive dialogue with the Maldives tourism ministry delegation during their recent visit to India at the EaseMyTrip office.
Maldives Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal had visited India in July-August as part of the “Welcome India” initiative. Faisal’s visit included roadshows in major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru in August.
Before the #BoycottMaldives movement, India was the top source market for Maldivian tourism. Last year, almost 210,100 Indian tourists visited the island nation. However, as of September 25, 2024, Indian arrivals have dropped to 88,686, pushing India to sixth place in the Maldives’ tourism rankings.
Recognizing the economic importance of Indian tourists, Maldives has been actively working to bring
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