Who are MakeMyTrip’s Chinese Investors? is Make My Trip forced to keep Maldives on its platform?

The ongoing controversy surrounding MakeMyTrip’s operations among the Maldives diplomatic tensions has drawn attention to the company’s significant Chinese investment, leading to a growing social media campaign urging users to uninstall the app.

As Chinese investors influence travel platforms like @makemytrip, demand accountability for your personal data.
❤️❤️👌 #BoycottMakeMyTrip pic.twitter.com/OQRl1IuL25

— PRAVEEN HRY 🇮🇳 𝕏 🛡️ (@Praveen14146233) March 24, 2024

As tensions between India and the Maldives escalated, triggered by derogatory remarks made by Maldivian officials against India and its Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Indian social media users began advocating for a boycott of travel to the Maldives. In response, MakeMyTrip faced mounting criticism for not suspending flight bookings to the Maldives, unlike some of its competitors.

MakeMyTrip’s substantial Chinese investment has come under scrutiny amid the growing nationalist sentiment in India. In 2019, China’s CTrip acquired a 49 percent stake in MakeMyTrip, raising concerns about the company’s decision-making processes and its alignment with Chinese interests, while it can’t be said for certain but since china has very strong ties with maldives and 49% is a substantial stake and does hold decision making power, it can be argued that the chinese investors would have some influence over MakeMyTrip’s operations.

Don’t say yourself an Indian if you can’t #BoycottMakeMyTrip. They are still providing booking for Maldives.

We must support indian tourism. Look how beautiful Lakshadweep is.

We Love India ❤️ & Maldives out#UninstallMakeMyTrip pic.twitter.com/bKGzxkGpRC

— RanaJi🏹 (@RanaTells) March 24, 2024

The #BoycottMakeMyTrip campaign gained momentum on social media platforms, with users expressing their intent to boycott MakeMyTrip and switch to alternative platforms. Memes and posts highlighting MakeMyTrip’s Chinese investors have further fueled the boycott movement, underscoring the growing influence of nationalist sentiment on consumer choices.

As MakeMyTrip grapples with the fallout from the ongoing controversy and the boycott campaign, its response to consumer concerns and efforts to regain trust will be crucial in shaping its reputation and future trajectory in the Indian market.

also read: Maldives Faces Economic Concerns amidst Complex Diplomatic Landscape