In January 2024, a diplomatic dispute between
India and the
Maldives led to Indian tourists shifting their travel preferences towards Sri Lanka, resulting in Sri Lanka surpassing the Maldives in tourist arrivals for the month. The rift stemmed from critical remarks made by Maldivian ministers against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
India, prompting Indian tourists to initiate a ‘boycott Maldives’ movement. As a consequence, Sri Lanka experienced a significant surge in tourist arrivals, with Indian visitors leading the influx.
The spike in Indian tourists visiting Sri Lanka was cited as a primary factor contributing to the surge in tourist arrivals, with the number of Indian visitors more than doubling from 13,759 in January of the previous year to 34,399 in January 2024. In contrast, the Maldives witnessed a decline in Indian tourists, with their numbers dropping from 17,029 to 15,006 during the same period.
Also read: Kashmir: Roads closed, flights cancelled due to…Read further.
