Can PM Modi’s Visit Revive Indian Tourism to Maldives? A Diplomatic Reset May Reopen Travel Gates
After a 42% crash in 2024, Indian tourist arrivals to Maldives hit just 5% of total visitors. PM Narendra Modi’s July 2025 state visit is expected to thaw relations and boost promotional efforts. Will the islands regain Indian travelers’ confidence?
image for illustrative purpose
Maldives Misses Out: Why Indian Tourists Stayed Away
In 2024, the number of Indian travelers visiting the Maldives fell by nearly 42%, plunging India’s share among Maldives arrivals to just 5%—down from a high of 22% in 2022 when over 240,000 Indians visited. The sharp decline followed tensions sparked by anti-India rhetoric from Maldivian politicians and a social media-led boycott of Maldivian tourism.
Modi’s Visit: A Diplomatic Calming Ritual
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day state visit from July 25–26, 2025, as Guest of Honour for the Maldives’ 60th Independence Day, signals a potential reset in bilateral ties. This visit is widely seen as a gesture of renewed cooperation and strategic engagement.
Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed praised the move, stating it could "boost Indian tourist arrivals" once more, especially as India-funded infrastructure projects like Hanimadhoo Airport near completion.
Strategic Relief & Statistics
India’s financial aid—such as the $100 million treasury-bill rollover and a $400 million currency swap—helped the Maldives avert economic crisis in 2024. These are now being positioned as goodwill gestures to repair relations and stabilize their tourism sector.
Tourism Outlook: Can Indians Return?
Rising air connectivity: Air India reinstated daily flights from Mumbai and Delhi, and upcoming routes via Hanimadhoo are expected to spark revival.
Aggressive marketing: Indian travel portals like MakeMyTrip and Ixigo are offering Maldives deals again, in rupees, and promoting neighboring island alternatives like Lakshadweep and Andaman to regain traveler confidence.
Recovery timeline: Officials aim to attract over 300,000 Indian tourists in 2025, but analysts caution it may take a few years to reach pre-boycott volumes
Prime Minister Modi’s visit represents more than diplomatic symbolism—it also reinstates India’s support in a mutually beneficial way. While rebuilding Indian tourism to the Maldives will take time, renewed trust, connectivity improvements, and promotional efforts may gradually reopen this green archipelago to Indian travelers.
