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Indians drop Turkey, Azerbaijan plans: Travel cancellations up 250%
Online travel platforms MakeMyTrip and EaseMyTrip said they had seen a steep fall in bookings and a wave of cancellations to the two destinations over the past week.
'Indian travellers have expressed strong sentiments over the past one week, with bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey decreasing by 60%, while cancellations have surged by 250% during the same period,' said a spokesperson for MakeMyTrip.
The platform added that it had pulled down all offers and promotions for both 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,' the company said.
EaseMyTrip, which had earlier reported declining interest in these destinations, echoed similar views. 'Travel is a powerful tool. Let's not use it to empower those who don't stand with us,' said Nishant Pittie, founder and chairman of EaseMyTrip.
He urged Indian travellers to reconsider where they spend their money. 'Every rupee we spend abroad is a vote. Let's spend it where our values are respected,' he added.
According to data shared by EaseMyTrip, 287,000 Indians visited Turkey last year, while 243,000 travelled to Azerbaijan.
Tourism is an important part of both economies:
Turkey: 12% of GDP, 10% of employment
Azerbaijan: 7.6% of GDP, 10% of employment
Pickyourtrail last week had responded to the backlash. 'In light of recent events, we've made the decision to pause all new bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan. This is not a comment on the people, but a stance against policies that conflict with India's national interest,' said Hari Ganapathy, co-founder of the company.
'As an Indian travel company, our first duty is to the Indian traveller. Jai Hind,' he said.
Go Homestays followed by ending its partnership with Turkish Airlines, while Cox & Kings suspended new packages to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkey.
Why travellers are reacting
The boycott follows statements issued on April 23, 2025, by the foreign ministries of Turkey and Azerbaijan after India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Azerbaijan's foreign ministry expressed concern over the escalation. 'We condemn military attacks against Pakistan that killed and injured civilians. We stand in solidarity with the people of Pakistan and express condolences to the families of the victims,' it said.
In Islamabad, Turkey's ambassador met with Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar. According to a post on X by Pakistan's foreign ministry, Turkey described India's strike as an 'unprovoked violation of Pakistan's sovereignty'.
Travel shifts to northeast India
Meanwhile, the travel industry is seeing a shift in domestic preferences. Rajiv Mehra, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators and general secretary of the Federation Of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality, said that trips to states bordering Pakistan were being cancelled due to security concerns.
'Due to India-Pakistan tensions, people are cancelling their bookings to these places,' Mehra told Business Standard. 'However, the new trend that we have seen is that all these people who are cancelling their bookings to these regions are trying to book their trips to Darjeeling, Gangtok, Guwahati, and other parts in the northeast regions.'
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