Lakshadweep takes off, Maldives out of favour as flights, capacity go up

April-June passenger traffic to Indian island doubled from year-ago quarter

Eight months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep in January, which featured photos of him strolling on the white beaches and snorkelling in the crystal-clear waters posted on his official X account, there has been a noticeable increase in interest from Indian travellers in the coral islands. This follows a controversial remark by a Maldivian politician targeting Indians, further spotlighting the archipelago.

According to government data, passenger traffic to Lakshadweep more than doubled from April to June this year, reaching 22,990 compared to just 11,074 in the same period last year. Aircraft movements surged by 88 per cent, rising from 418 to 786, despite Agatti Airport’s limitation to small turboprop aircraft.

Cirium reports that the number of flights to Lakshadweep increased more than 3.5 times, from 31 in July 2023 to 106 in July 2024.

Accordingly, the total number of available seats jumped from 2,170 in July 2023, with only Alliance Air operating from Kochi, to 7,844 in July 2024, with three airlines. IndiGo, which had no flights to Lakshadweep until February this year, operated 53 flights in July from Kochi and Bengaluru. A new airline from Goa, Fly91, conducted 21 flights in the same month.

Anil Kalsi, vice-president of the Travel Agents Federation of India, observes: “Our projection is that tourist numbers could treble once the existing airport is modernised. Big hotel chains are constructing new resorts to accommodate the expected influx.”

Lakshadweep’s gain contrasts sharply with Maldives’ loss, especially given the strained relations between the two countries.

According to Maldives immigration data, the number of Indian tourists fell sharply by 45 per cent from April to July 2024, dropping to 36,761 from 66,375 in the same period last year. 

The share of Indian tourists in the Maldives has halved, from 12 per cent to 6.3 per cent this year. Most airlines have not increased capacity to the Maldives. IndiGo and Air India, which have operated flights to the Maldives since July 2023, have not added flights, and Maldivian, the national carrier, has slightly reduced its flights. Only Vistara has increased capacity, having added a new route from Delhi to the Maldives in October 2023.

Once among the top three destinations for tourist arrivals last year, Maldives now lingers in the fifth or sixth position for most months. 

The decline in Indian tourists has not been fully offset by visitors from other countries like China or Russia.