2024-01-08 04:08:00
Indians Top the List of Tourists Visiting the Maldives in 2023
According to the latest statistics from the Maldives Ministry of Tourism, Indians have emerged as the largest group of tourists visiting the Maldives in 2023. The data shows that a total of 17,57,939 foreign tourists visited the Maldives in the last year, up to December 13. This marks a 12.6% increase from the previous year.
The figures reveal that a maximum of 2,09,198 Indians visited the Maldives, followed closely by tourists from Russia (2,09,146) and China (1,87,118). Other top-ranking countries on the list include Britain, Germany, Italy, USA, France, Spain, and Switzerland, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
Aviation sector statistics further highlight the Maldives as a popular destination for Indian tourists. The number of people traveling between India and the Maldives through direct air service has steadily increased in the past few years. In the quarter from October to December 2018, 51,000 people traveled between the two countries, a figure that rose to 60,000 in 2019.
Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Indian visitors to the Maldives has shown a significant increase. In 2020, 32,000 Indian tourists traveled to the Maldives, a figure that surged to 1.15 lakh in 2021. However, a significant decrease was observed in 2022, potentially exacerbated by diplomatic tensions between India and the Maldives.
The recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Lakshadweep sparked controversy after a social media comment made by a Maldivian minister against India. Following this incident, many Indians expressed their intent to boycott the Maldives, raising concerns about the future of Indian tourism in the island nation.
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