Extending a “sincere apology” for the hurt caused by the derogatory remarks by some of its deputy ministers against the Indian Prime Minister and Indians, the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) on Tuesday urged EaseMyTrip CEO Nishant Pitti to re-open flight bookings to Maldives, ANI reported.

In a letter to EaseMyTrip co-founder Prashant Pitti, MATATO said that the now-suspended ministers do not reflect the sentiments of Maldivians in general.

“We want you to know that the bonds connecting our nations transcend politics. We consider our Indian counterparts not just as business associates but as cherished brothers and sisters,” it said in the letter.

The body said that tourism stands as the lifeblood of the Maldives, contributing over two-thirds of our GDP and providing livelihoods to approximately 44,000 Maldivians who work directly in the tourism sector.

“The potential adverse impact on tourism holds the power to unleash severe repercussions on our economy, affecting the lives and well-being of many,” the body added in the letter, , according to ANI.

It added that MATATO feels compelled to underscore the paramount importance of foresting ties with all countries, particularly with South Asian neighbours.

“We firmly believe the collaborative efforts and open communication are essential in preserving friendly relations, facilitating trade, and encouraging cultural exchanges between our nation to remain strong and unhindered,” the travel body of Maldives said.

Amid an online campaign to boycott Maldives, EasemyTripon Monday announced to suspend all Maldives flight bookings.

Standing in support of India, Pitti, the co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of the online travel company, wrote on social media X (formally Twitter): “In solidarity with our nation, @EaseMyTrip has suspended all Maldives flight bookings.”

The EaseMyTrip CEO also asked the travellers to “Say no to Maldives bookings and explore the wonders of Ayodhya and Lakshadweep.”

“Water & beaches of Lakshadweep are as good as Maldives/Seychelles. We at @EaseMyTrip will come up with crazy special offers to promote this pristine destination that our PM @narendramodi has recently visited!” he had added.

India-Maldives row

On Sunday, the Maldivian government suspended three deputy ministers for derogatory social media posts against Prime Minister Modi following a backlash with India strongly raising the matter with Male and the island nation’s top opposition leaders slamming the ruling establishment over the row.

The three deputy ministers criticised Modi for his post on ‘X’ following his visit to Lakshadweep, inferring that it was an attempt to project the Union territory as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.

Several Maldivian media outlets, quoting officials, reported that deputy ministers in the youth ministry, Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, have been suspended over their posts. The controversy erupted on a day President Dr Mohamed Muizzu embarked on a week-long visit to China.

“All government officials responsible for the comments have been suspended from their post effective immediately,” said Ibrahim Khaleel, spokesperson for the President of Maldives.

People familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that the Indian side had conveyed its concerns over the derogatory remarks to the Maldives.

Following his recent visit to Lakshadweep, Modi highlighted the “stunning beauty” of the islands and the “incredible warmth” of its people in a post on X and said: “For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list.”

This spurred several posts on social media urging Indians to visit Lakshadweep instead of the Maldives because of the pro-China tilt of the government in Male. Muizzu, who assumed office last November, also broke with convention by announcing recently that he would visit China before travelling to India. New Delhi is usually the first port of call for Maldivian presidents but Turkey was the first country to which Muizzu made a bilateral visit.