Indian Chamber Of Commerce's Tourism Arm Calls On Airlines To Stop Flying To Maldives; Urges Associations To Promote Lakshadweep & Andamans

The tourism and aviation arm of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has urged its members and tourism association to halt promoting Maldives as a tourist destination. The move comes a day after outrage in India over a Maldivian minister's abusive remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his visit to Lakshadweep.

The ICC issued a statement urging Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), Association of Domestic Tour Operators (ADTOI) and MICE to not promote Maldives following the "anti-India feelings" of the archipelago's ministers. The body also requested the associations to direct enquiries to Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar islands. "Other destinations which can be promoted in the Indian ocean area are Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Bali, Phuket etc," Subhash Goyal, chairman of Aviation, Travel & Tourism Committee of ICC said in the statement.

"I also appeal to all the Indian carriers operating to Maldives to suspend their operation and seriously think of operating to Lakshadweep Islands under the Udaan Scheme and the members of FHRAI and the Hotel Association of India to seriously look at investing in Lakshadweep Islands as in the future it will give you better returns on your investment than Maldives," Goyal said.