Travel portals report massive cancellations for Turkey, Azerbaijan
Indian travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan has significantly declined due to public disapproval of their support for Pakistan during a recent conflict. Online travel platforms report a surge in cancellations and a drop in bookings, with some suspending services altogether. Travelers are opting for alternative destinations, raising concerns about the potential impact on Indian airlines and connectivity.
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Mumbai: Indian travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan has taken a sharp hit with leading online travel platforms reporting a wave of cancellations due to strong public sentiment against these countries' support to Pakistan during the recent India-Pakistan conflict.MakeMyTrip reported a 60% decrease in bookings to these two countries and a 250% surge in cancellations over the past week while Cleartrip noted a 260% increase in cancellations even as tour and travel operators issued travel advisories, called off tour packages, and even suspended bookings to these countries."In solidarity with our nation and out of deep respect for our armed forces, we strongly support this sentiment and advise against all non-essential travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey," a MakeMyTrip spokesperson said. "We have already discontinued all promotions and offers on our platform to discourage tourism to these two destinations."Social media platforms have been abuzz with boycott calls against these countries since May 8 when Turkey and Azerbaijan expressed solidarity with Pakistan against India's Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam terrorist attack."In the interest of standing together during this time, we urge everyone to defer all non-essential travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan," Cleartrip told ET in a statement.Ixigo has gone a step further by suspending all bookings to not just Turkey and Azerbaijan, but also China. "Respecting the sentiments shared by all Indians at this time, we have suspended all flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China. Our commitment is to act responsibly and in alignment with our country's broader interests. Blood and bookings won't flow together," Aloke Bajpai and Rajnish Kumar, cofounders of ixigo, said in a statement.EaseMyTrip cofounder Rikant Pittie reported a 22% rise in cancellations for Turkey and 30% for Azerbaijan. "Travellers are now preferring safer alternatives like Georgia, Serbia, Greece, Thailand, and Vietnam," he said."Bookings to affected regions have paused amid post-ceasefire uncertainties, while travel to unaffected areas continues smoothly," Pittie said, urging customers to rely on official sources while planning international trips.The number of Indians visiting Turkey and Azerbaijan has increased significantly in recent times amid improved connectivity. IndiGo, one of the earliest Indian carriers to launch direct flights to Istanbul in 2019 and Baku in 2023, helped boost outbound traffic to both destinations.While there are calls to scale back direct flights to these countries by Indian carriers, a senior airline executive warned that such a move would benefit Middle East airlines at the cost of Indian airlines."They (Gulf carriers) already dominate transit traffic between India and Europe. If Indian connectivity weakens, these carriers will gain more leverage," the executive cautioned. "For Indian travellers, it could mean longer travel times and higher fares. It's a space we can't afford to lose ground in."
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