President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives embarked on a state visit to China along with First Lady Sajidha Mohamed, marking the beginning of the official trip. The visit comes as the Maldives faces a diplomatic dispute with India, a significant source of tourism and its closest neighbor.
President Muizzu, known for his ‘Out India’ campaign, took action against three deputy ministers—Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoon Maajid—who made derogatory comments on social media platform X in response to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for tourists to visit Lakshadweep islands. The comments were perceived as an effort by Modi to attract tourism and potentially divert visitors from the Maldives.
In response, the Maldives Foreign Ministry clarified that the derogatory remarks were personal opinions and did not represent the government’s views. The controversy prompted an online campaign by Indian celebrities, including Hardik Pandya and Akshay Kumar, encouraging local tourism. Notably, Sachin Tendulkar, Salman Khan, and others launched the #ExploreIndianIslands campaign, urging people to visit their own islands rather than traveling abroad. The campaign gained traction on social media, with #ExploreIndianIslands becoming the second-largest trending hashtag on platform X in India. Some users also shared screenshots of canceled bookings for Maldivian holidays.
The Maldives-China state visit takes place against the backdrop of strained relations with India and underscores the importance of diplomatic engagements in the region. The controversy surrounding the social media comments highlights the potential impact on the tourism industry and the interconnectedness of geopolitics, social media, and travel behavior.
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