A view of Maldives along with the EaseMyTrip logo.
Credit: iStock Photo and EaseMyTrip.com
New Delhi: EaseMyTrip CEO Nishant Pitti has responded to the recent controversy surrounding resumption of flight bookings to Maldives through the platform, admitting that "some bookings did occur" between May 16-26 but the company acted swiftly and removed them.
The response came after Kerala Congress questioned EaseMyTrip on social media platform X, highlighting the company's earlier decision to remove Maldives from its platform as a show of support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He emphasised that EaseMyTrip's "nationalistic approach will never change", responding to a post by Kerala Congress on X, regarding the company's earlier decision to remove Maldives from its platform as a show of support for Prime Minister Modi.
Recently, screenshots circulating on social media showed Maldives bookings available on EaseMyTrip, prompting questions about whether the company had reversed its boycott.
Pitti claimed that other 'Chinese-owned travel portals' continued promoting the Maldives without interruption.
"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." EaseMyTrip had initially halted bookings to Maldives in January after three Maldivian ministers made derogatory comments about Prime Minister Modi following his visit to Lakshadweep.
The Congress party questioned the resumption of bookings, asking, "A couple of months ago, online travel aggregator @EaseMyTrip made a nationalistic move by removing the Maldives as a destination from their flight and hotel booking platform to support PM 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 PM Modi? Money will come and go, and so is PM Modi!"
Responding to the post by Congress, Pitti wrote on X: "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".