Reopen flight bookings, Indian market indispensable for us: Maldives travel body writes to EaseMyTrip CEO

India, Maldives ties transcends politics, the travel body said

A leading Maldives' travel body on January 9 wrote to EaseMyTrip chief executive officer Nishant Pitti, requesting him to reverse the decision to cancel flight bookings to Maldives through his platform.

"The bonds connecting our nations transcend politics. We consider our Indian counterparts not just as business associates but as cherished brothers and sisters," the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) said.

The Indian market remains an "indispensable force" in the success of the Maldivian tourism sector, providing vital support to guest houses and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that depend on the influx of Indian visitors, Abdulla Ghiyas, the president of the travel body, stated in the letter.

"MATATO humbly seeks your assistance and support in fostering positive relations and dispelling any misunderstandings that may have arisen and reopen EaseMyTrip flights to Maldives," he added.

'Tourism stands as lifeblood'

The travel body noted that tourism is the archipelago's "lifeblood", contributing over two-thirds of its GDP and providing livelihoods to approximately 44,000 Maldivians.

The potential adverse impact on tourism holds the power to unleash "severe repercussions on our economy", affecting the lives and well-being of many, it said.

Why EaseMyTrip suspended Maldives bookings?

Three deputy ministers in Maldives government used "derogatory language" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the aftermath of a social media debate over a comparison of the tourism appeal between Maldives and India's Lakshadweep Islands.

The three ministers -- Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Sharyf and Mahzoom Majid -- were suspended by the Maldivian government for their "irresponsible" and "insulting" statement.

Despite Male's action against them, the call for choosing domestic alternatives instead of travelling to Maldives continues to ring among Indian social media users.