EaseMyTrip Resumes Maldives Bookings Amid Renewed India-Maldives Relations
Online travel aggregator reopens bookings after nine-month suspension following diplomatic row
EaseMyTrip, an online travel aggregator (OTA), resumed bookings to the Maldives on 4 October, after halting them in January due to diplomatic tensions between India and the Maldives. The suspension followed remarks made on social media by Maldivian ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a statement, the company cited improved bilateral ties and constructive discussions with the Ministry of Tourism of the Maldives as reasons for the resumption. Co-Founder and CEO Nishant Pitti called the decision a progressive step towards enhancing tourism between the two nations.
Earlier this year, the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) had requested the OTA to reconsider the halt, emphasising the vital role Indian tourists play in the Maldivian tourism sector. Indian tourists were the largest group of visitors to the Maldives in 2023, making up 2 lakh out of 17.57 lakh total tourists.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is scheduled to visit India from 7 to 10 October. During his visit, President Muizzu will travel to Indian cities Mumbai and Bengaluru for various business engagements. He is expected to hold high-level discussions with President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other senior Indian officials to strengthen cooperation between the two nations.
