When Maldives Gives You Lemons: Adapting to Sudden Geopolitical Shifts

The ongoing row between the governments in India and the Maldives has threatened to drift a longstanding relationship between the two countries, with the India Out movement in the island nation and the #BoycottMaldives internet trend in India at all time highs. As the Maldives now possibly stands to lose its 3rd highest tourism footfall from India, the issue sheds light on how quickly and significantly geopolitical shifts can impact economies and businesses. 

The strategies adopted by MakeMyTrip and EasyMyTrip reflect how carefully businesses have to tread the line with sudden geopolitical changes that can reshape market dynamics, affecting investments, trade, and operations. 

• EaseMyTrip has offered 100% refunds to bookings, suspended all packages and bookings to the Maldives, and issued a front-page advertisement in a leading national newspaper to show solidarity with the Indian government, with its co-founder Nishant Pitti also tweeting in support of India, on X (formerly Twitter). 

• Thrillophilia too has offered 100% refunds for all upcoming Maldives bookings. 
• Alongside, MakeMyTrip plans to capitalise booking to Lakshadweep islands, reporting that searches on the website for the island have increased by 3400%. 

In delivering swift and decisive responses to the situation, these businesses chose to capitalise on nationalist sentiment with timely and robust PR/marketing campaigns, while bearing the temporary impact to their bottom-lines. Regardless of whether the Lakshadweep offer a true alternative to the Maldives or not, and the degree of impact to profits, these companies have shown how quick crisis communication can help turn lemons into lemonade.