EaseMyTrip CEO on 'instigating' India-Maldives row: 'They wanted India and its tourist out. We only...'

More than a week after EaseMyTrip decided to suspend flight bookings indefinitely following a diplomatic spat between India and the island nation, Nishant Pitti, the CEO and founder of the travel platform, to speak about the move.

The decision to forgo substantial revenue and potentially alienate a portion of the userbase was considered risky, he said. However, on behalf of the company, he expressed gratitude to the people in India who supported them, when he said led to 280% increase in app downloads last week.

"We are thankful to 95% people of India, who are supporting us, our app download increased by 280% last week. Remaining 5% folks seem aggravated, as they are seeing it politically, and probably it's not matching with their political ideology," he said in his post.


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"Perhaps, we would have done the same, no matter which govt was ruling in India, as it just made sense to uphold the dignity of our country," he added.

In his post, Nishant Pitti further said: "President of Maldives won election on plank of "India Out" campaign. They wanted India & its tourist OUT, since last few years. Being 2nd largest tourism provider to Maldives, we merely fecilitated what majority Maldivan asked for. This new Maldivian govt has been clearly pro-China, and it's only fair that they earn money from Chinese tourist rather than Indians now."

'Nation First, Business Later'

On January 8, EaseMyTrip suspended flight booking to Maldives indefinitely. This move came in response to social media posts against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi by three now-suspended Maldivian ministers, straining relations between the neighboring countries. Maldives heavily relies on tourism, with India being the top sources of visitors.

(Also read: EaseMyTrip board approves proposal to raise funds of upto Rs 1000 crore)

In an official statement titled 'Nation First, Business Later,' EaseMyTrip expressed pride in India's picturesque beaches, particularly highlighting destinations like Lakshadweep, the Andamans, Goa, and Kerala. The company emphasized its commitment to prioritizing the nation over profits, standing firm against inappropriate remarks by Maldivian ministers.

Lakshadweep gained prominence after Prime Minister Modi showcased captivating images from his visit to the Union Territory on January 22, encouraging the promotion of beach tourism in the island cluster. However, social media posts by Maldivian leaders made disrespectful references to PM Modi's visit. This sparked widespread backlash on social media, with the hashtag #BoycottMaldives trending.

EaseMyTrip.com's insurance foray

In a significant diversification move, EaseMyTrip ventured into the insurance sector with the launch of its subsidiary, EaseMyTrip Insurance Broker Pvt Ltd. This strategic decision aims to broaden the company's service portfolio and tap into the insurance market, leveraging their existing user base of 20 million.