Chinese tourists have outnumbered Indian holidaymakers in the Maldives amid a diplomatic dispute between the two countries, as per official figures released recently.
According to the Maldivian Ministry of Tourism statistics, China now leads with 23,972 tourists, claiming an 11.2% market share in 2024.
This surge marks a significant climb from the third position in 2023.
On the contrary, India, which held the top spot in 2023, has slipped to the fifth position with 16,536 tourists and a 7.7% market share in 2024.
The sudden change is suspected to be a consequence of a diplomatic fallout triggered by derogatory remarks against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media by three Maldivian ministers.
These remarks followed Prime Minister Modi’s sharing of photos and videos of his visit to the Lakshadweep Islands on India’s west coast in January.
The online backlash prompted calls to boycott tourism in the Maldives, advocating the exploration of domestic destinations instead.
Social media users, including celebrities, expressed their discontent, leading to reports of Indian tourists cancelling their planned trips to the Maldives.
Maldives’ President Muizzu, perceived as pro-China, had previously requested India to withdraw 88 military personnel from the country by March 15, shortly after assuming office in November.
In January, during his visit to Beijing, Muizzu discussed strategies to increase Chinese tourism to the Maldives, including enhancing direct flights between the two nations.
China, on January 31, announced a “comprehensive mutual visa cooperation” agreement with 23 countries, including the Maldives.
This aligns with President Muizzu’s efforts to bolster ties with China, a move that appears to be reflected in the altered tourist statistics.
In 2023, over 17 lakh tourists visited the Maldives, with more than 2,09,198 being Indians, followed by Russians (2,09,146) and Chinese (1,87,118).
China had previously been the leading source of foreign tourists before the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of February 4, 2024, Russia stands in the second spot with 21,898 tourists (10.2% market share), followed by Italy at number three with 21,321 tourists (9.9% market share).
The UK holds the fourth position with 18,078 tourists and an 8.4% market share.
