In a surprising turn of events, the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has called on all tourism and trade associations in India to cease promoting the Maldives due to recent anti-Bharat remarks made by some Maldivian ministers. The ICC chairman, Subhash Goyal, issued a statement, urging associations to redirect their focus to alternative destinations in the Indian Ocean area.
Despite Indians being a significant source of foreign exchange and job creation in the Maldives, Goyal encouraged tourism associations to divert inquiries to Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He emphasized that these destinations are even better than the Maldives in many aspects. Other suggested alternatives included Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Bali, and Phuket.
Goyal also appealed to Bharat carriers operating in the Maldives to suspend their operations and consider shifting to Lakshadweep islands under the Udaan Scheme. He further urged members of FHRAI and the Hotel Association of Bharat to explore investment opportunities in Lakshadweep, assuring better returns in the future than what the Maldives might offer.
Online travel company EaseMyTrip has already suspended all flight bookings to the Maldives in response to the controversy. MakeMyTrip reported a remarkable 3400% surge in on-platform searches for Lakshadweep following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the union territory.
The controversy unfolded when the deputy minister of Maldives, along with other ministers, made racist remarks targeting India and ridiculing Modi’s efforts to promote Lakshadweep as a tourist destination. This sparked outrage among Indians, leading to calls for a boycott of the Maldives on social media, with some celebrities joining the cause.
Responding to the situation, the Maldivian government distanced itself from the derogatory remarks, stating that the ministers’ opinions were personal and did not represent the views of the government. The government emphasized the importance of exercising freedom of expression in a democratic and responsible manner, pledging to take action against those making derogatory remarks.
In a recent development, the Maldivian authorities have suspended three ministers – Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid – for their anti-Bharat remarks. The situation continues to unfold, and the impact of the ICC’s call for a boycott is yet to be fully realized.
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