A year ago, India was the leading source market for tourists to the Maldives, a position it held strongly after the COVID-19 pandemic.

By October last year, Indian tourists were the largest group visiting the Maldives, boosting the nation's tourism sector significantly.

However, political tensions between the two countries caused a rapid decline in Indian visitors. 

Calls for mutual boycotts between India and the Maldives emerged, with some groups advocating for alternative travel destinations.

This led to Sri Lanka surpassing the Maldives as the main destination for Indian tourists, with 92,578 Indian tourists visiting Maldives this year, compared to 153,424 during the same period in 2023. 

Prominent Indian celebrities, including Akshay Kumar, Kangana Ranaut, Amitabh Bachchan, and Sachin Tendulkar, even campaigned for Indian tourists to opt for Lakshadweep instead of the Maldives.

However, in a sign of improving relations, many of these stars are now returning to the Maldives. 

Akshay Kumar, for example, recently visited the islands to celebrate his 46th birthday.

Diplomatic ties between the two nations have shown positive signs of improvement, culminating in a state visit by Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to India by an invite from the Government of India.

During his visit, he attended a special tourism promotion event in Mumbai, which saw the participation of several Bollywood stars such as Karisma Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Shilpa Shetty, and Arbaaz Khan.

These celebrities expressed their enduring love for the Maldives, emphasizing their continued preference for the islands as a holiday destination.

Ibrahim Shiuree, Managing Director of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), commented that the President's visit to India is expected to further strengthen ties and reinvigorate Indian tourist arrivals to the Maldives.

Shiuree also emphasized the importance of India's massive population and the potential for a resurgence in Indian tourist numbers, which would provide a significant boost to the Maldivian tourism sector.

With Indian and Chinese tourists increasing their visits, the outlook for the Maldives' tourism industry appears promising.