A tourist scandal has erupted between the Maldives and India
Indian tourists are boycotting the Maldives in protest of insults directed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards several Maldivian officials.
According to the travel portal Skift, Indian tourists have already canceled more than 8,000 hotel reservations and more than 2,500 airline tickets to the Maldives. The Indian boycott could seriously damage the archipelago's tourism, as last year India was the leader in inbound tourist arrivals along with Russia: about 210 thousand tourists arrived in the Maldives from both countries.
In early January, Modi posted photos on his X social media page of a beach vacation in Lakshadweep (an island in India). Modi showed himself scuba diving and walking along the picturesque beaches, urging Indians to visit these "stunningly beautiful islands" more often.
This publication drew criticism from several Maldivian officials, who perceived Modi's intent to "lure" tourists. On January 7, three deputy ministers posted comments on the social network X, referring to Modi as a "clown" and "Israel's puppet."
Soon after, the Maldivian authorities dismissed the three officials and stated that their opinions were "personal in nature."
However, the aftermath persisted. The people of India instantly reacted to the insults against Modi: local popular movie stars and athletes urged their fellow citizens not to go on vacation to the Maldives, and the hashtags #BoycottMaldives and #ChaloLakshadweep went viral on social media.