Introduction

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent invitation for travelers to explore the beauty of Lakshadweep sparked a surprising backlash from Maldivian officials, leading to heated debates on social media.
This article delves into the distinctions between the Maldives and Lakshadweep as tourist destinations, comparing factors such as tourist numbers, infrastructure, and environmental concerns.

Maldives and Lakshadweep: A Geographical Overview

Maldives: An archipelago of 1,190 coral islands and sandbanks grouped into over 20 atolls, located southwest of Kerala and Sri Lanka in the North Central Indian Ocean.
Lakshadweep: Comprising 36 coral islands spread across a mere 32 sq km, it’s India’s smallest Union Territory. These islands lie north of the Maldives and are situated at varying distances of 220 km to 440 km from Kochi.

Lakshadweep: In 2018, only 10,435 domestic and 1,313 foreign tourists visited, a negligible share compared to other Indian tourist destinations.
Maldives: Data from January 2024 shows a daily average of nearly 6,000 tourist arrivals, totaling 1,01,626 arrivals. In 2023, over 1.87 million tourists visited, contributing significantly to the country’s economy.

Investment in Tourism: The Maldives has been investing in tourism since 1972, with tourism becoming the country’s most vital economic activity by the 1980s.
Economic Contribution: Tourism directly contributes almost 30% of the Maldives’ GDP and generates over 60% of its foreign currency earnings.
Connectivity: The country is served by 40 carriers from around the world, including airlines like Air India, Vistara, and IndiGo.
Visa-Free Arrivals: The Maldives offers visa-free arrivals to major source markets like India, Russia, China, and Kazakhstan.
Diverse Accommodations: With over 180 resorts, 15 hotels, 811 guesthouses, and 140 safari vessels, the Maldives offers more than 62,000 beds to tourists.
Local Island Guesthouses: Starting in 2009, local island guesthouses allowed tourists to stay among the local population, providing privacy and luxury.

Small Area: Lakshadweep, with only 10 inhabited islands, has limited potential due to its small size.
Environmental Concerns: Concerns over environmental damage and disruption of local livelihoods have hindered tourism development.
Capacity Constraints: Lakshadweep lacks the capacity and resources to host a large influx of tourists due to its fragile ecology.
Supreme Court Recommendations: A Supreme Court-appointed panel recommended that all development proposals align with an Integrated Island Management Plan and respect carrying capacity limits.
Restricted Entry: Entry to Lakshadweep is restricted, requiring permits issued by the Lakshadweep Administration.
Infrastructure Challenges: Limited air and ferry connectivity, as well as inadequate accommodations, pose challenges for tourism development.

Positive Outlook: The recent interest from Prime Minister Modi has sparked optimism for Lakshadweep’s tourism potential.
Planned Developments: Applications for tourism development on islands like Bangaram, Thirunakkara, Suheli Cheriyakara, and Cheriyam are expected, potentially leading to significant projects.
High-end, Low-volume Tourism: Local authorities aim for high-end tourism with low visitor volumes to preserve the islands’ fragile environment.

The Maldives and Lakshadweep, though neighbouring archipelagos, exhibit stark differences in tourist numbers, development, and environmental concerns.
While the Maldives thrives as an international tourism hotspot, Lakshadweep faces limitations due to its ecological fragility, yet there is hope for responsible tourism development in the Union Territory.