Maldives still reeling from damage to India tourism market caused by Muizzu gov’t

Recent statistics have indicated that the Maldives has yet to recover from the decline in Indian tourist arrivals, a downturn attributed to actions and rhetoric from key figures in President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s government.

From 2020 to 2023, India consistently held the position of the top market for tourists visiting the Maldives for three consecutive years.

However, in early 2024, several senior officials in President Muizzu’s government launched a low-level social media campaign targeting India and its Prime Minister. The move led to a sharp deterioration in diplomatic relations between the two countries and triggered a significant decline in the number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives.

In an effort to recover from the losses, Muizzu visited India in October 2024 to rebuild ties and revive the Indian tourism market. As part of the visit, a high-profile networking event was held, attended by several Bollywood celebrities. Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed took part in the event to help restore Maldives’ image. However, nine months on, the effort has yet to yield any meaningful results.

According to statistics released by the government in July 2025, India's market ranking has fallen to sixth place.

The statistics show that in June 2024, the number of tourists from India to the Maldives was 10,017. This June, 11,070 tourists came from India, which is not a significant improvement. The total number of tourists from India to the Maldives in 2024 was 63,451.

On the other hand, in 2023, more than 200,000 tourists visited the Maldives from India. By the end of that year, India accounted for 11.1 percent of the total tourists visiting the Maldives, with 209,193 tourists.

While the Indian tourist market has significantly weakened, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the Maldives from July 25 to 26 at the invitation of President Muizzu, who came to power while leading a massive "India Out" campaign. This visit is to be the guest of honor for the Maldives' 60th Independence Day.

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives during Muizzu's presidency. It is also his first visit after the deterioration in relations between the two countries due to the "India Out" campaign led by Muizzu, which caused significant damage to the Maldives, and this government's pro-China policy.

According to some Indian newspapers, the objectives of the Prime Minister's visit include resolving concerns between the two countries, strengthening friendship, and rebuilding trust.