The X handle of Kerala Congress recently stirred controversy by questioning travel aggregator Ease My Trip over the “resumption” of booking to the Maldives.
The post said, “Couple of months ago online travel aggregator @EaseMyTrip made a nationalistic move by removing Maldives as a destination from their flight and hotel booking platform to support Modi. Now they have quietly resumed booking to Maldives. We are wondering what happened. Is it a sign of something? Is money more important than Modi? Money will come and go, so is Modi!”
Couple of months ago online travel aggregator @EaseMyTrip made a nationalistic move by removing Maldives as a destination from their flight and hotel booking platform to support Modi.
Now they have quietly resumed booking to Maldives. We are wondering what happened.
Is it a… pic.twitter.com/YPrdSRBVjR
— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) June 1, 2024
Following the diplomatic issue that arose over “offensive” social media posts by three Maldivian deputy ministers between India and the Maldives in January this year, EaseMyTrip decided to suspend bookings to the Maldives after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lakshadweep. Relations between the two countries have been at an all-time low under the presidency of Mohamed Muizzu, the current Maldivian President, who is widely viewed in New Delhi as a “pro-China” figure.
In response to Kerala Congress’s post, EaseMyTrip’s CEO Nishant Pitti replied, “Dear @INCIndia, thank you for your concern. @EaseMyTrip has halted Maldives bookings from January 8th until today. Some bookings did occur between May 16th – 26th, but we took immediate action and got them removed. Why focus only on us? Are you not aware of other Chinese-owned travel portals that never stopped promoting Maldives in the first place? We’ve been serving for the last 16 years without any foreign investments. Yes, you’re right, nothing is permanent—the money will come and go. But our nationalistic approach will never change. By the way, we are here for the long haul, and it’s not easy for us to go. Hope you understand“
Dear @INCIndia, thank you for your concern. @EaseMyTrip has halted Maldives bookings from January 8th until today. Some bookings did occur between May 16th – 26th, but we took immediate action and got them removed.
Why focus only on us? Are you not aware of other Chinese-owned… https://t.co/0NrHtoEIxy
— Nishant Pitti (@nishantpitti) June 1, 2024
The decision to suspend flight bookings to the Maldives in solidarity with the government affected 240,000 annual bookings on EaseMyTrip’s platform. Co-founder Prashant Pitti mentioned that bookings had seen a notable 40% increase last year compared to the previous year.
#WATCH | Bengaluru: Co-founder of EaseMyTrip, Prashant Pitti says, "…Our company is entirely homegrown and made in India. Amid the row over Maldives MP's post on PM Modi's visit to Lakshadweep, we have decided that we will not accept any bookings for Maldives…We want Ayodhya… pic.twitter.com/99EQ0kxGZM
— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2024
Despite the boycott, EaseMyTrip recently announced its highest-ever EBITDA for the fiscal year 2024, totalling ₹2,282 million, which represents a 19% growth year-on-year.
After taking nationalist stand on the Maldives issue
Ease my trip shares up +14% in 2 days
Make my trip shares down -2% pic.twitter.com/tRpEkNlUag— STAR Boy TARUN (@Starboy2079) January 9, 2024
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