TOURISM WAR: WHERE DID IT BEGAN?
It all started after some ministers in the Maldives government made derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prime Minister posted some of its pictures on the social media site sitting near the beaches of Lakshadweep. No mention or references to Maldives or any other island nation which is popular among tourists was made in the post, however, still, the archipelago's beautiful scenery appeared to offend the Maldivian politicians and government officials in some way and started a war on social media with Indian users.
Source: Twitter
As per the media reports, tourism in Maldives is heavily reliant on India and a major part of their income comes from the nation. In 2023, more than 209,000 trips were made by Indian tourists to Maldives which covers about 11 percent of its tourism market, as per the statistics released recently. Russia contributed about the same amount and China wasn't far behind, providing 187,118 visits, or 10% of the total.
Source: Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Maldives
HOW DID MALDIVES REACT?
Source: Mangalore Today|The Maldives government suspends three ministers, Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid
The government of Maldives quickly distanced itself from their comments and the three ministers were immediately suspended. The Maldives government, in a statement, said that it was aware of derogatory comments made on social media but stressed the “opinions are personal” and do not represent its views.
“The government believes that the freedom of expression should be exercised in a democratic and responsible manner, and in ways that do not spread hatred, negativity, and hinder close relationships between the Maldives and its international partners”, it added.
UPCOMING ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR LAKSHADWEEP
Taj Hotel has announced its plans to open its hotel by 2026 in Lakshadweep. Indian hotel chains are also working actively towards developing hotel chains in Lakshadweep which will benefit to increase the tourism in Lakshadweep.
Improvement of air connectivity-Maldives offers 60 flights from different locations of India. In Lakshadweep, there is only one sole Indian airline and its bookings are full. Air connectivity improvement is the need of the hour to increase the connectivity
Setting up of the Indian Air Force military base - IAF has proposed to build its military bases on the small islands of lakshadweep. The military base camps will help it to develop into a defense hub.
Kochi Lakshadweep island submarine optical connection aims to overcome the challenge of slow internet speed on Lakshadweep island. This will result in an increase in internet speed by more than 100 times according to officials.
Other projects launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi include the solar power plant at Kavaratti, the first ever battery backed solar power project in Lakshadweep. A total of Rs 1,156 crore project has been planned for Lakshadweep.
References:
1. PM Modi launches development projects in Lakshadweep's Kavaratti Island to boost international tourism
2.Three ministers were immediately suspended
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