‘Boycott Turkey, Azerbaijan': Operation Sindoor Triggers Travel Backlash On Social Media
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While most countries refrained from commenting, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement of support for Pakistan
Turkey and Azerbaijan emerged as top international getaways for Indian tourists in recent years, thanks to their vibrant culture, striking Islamic and Ottoman-era architecture, friendly locals, and easy visa processes.
However, the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir—where 26 civilians were killed—and India's subsequent launch of Operation Sindoor, a precise military strike targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), have cast a shadow over their popularity in India.
While most countries refrained from commenting, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement of support for Pakistan, stating: 'We stand in solidarity with the people of Pakistan." Turkey echoed the sentiment soon after.
This prompted a significant backlash across Indian social media platforms. Hashtags like #BoycottAzerbaijan, #BoycottTurkey, and #OperationSindoor began trending, as users expressed outrage and urged fellow citizens to reconsider travelling to nations that publicly side with India's adversaries.
Turkey & Azerbaijan support Pakistan. Why did 5.7L Indians visit them in 2024? Choose Armenia & Greece! #BoycottTurkeyAzerbaijan pic.twitter.com/HJLk9ax0Tj — Stringg (@StringReveals) May 8, 2025
#BoycottTurkeyAzerbaijan India helped Turkey when it was badly hit by earthquake. While this thankless nation is helping #Pakistan whose terrorists killed our innocent nationalsmercilessly…openly stand with Pakistan. #IndiaPakistanWar #OperationSindhoor2 #Airdefence — —͟͞͞❡????℞????????Σꢺᵸ —͟͞͞ ® (@Girijesh888) May 8, 2025
Why Indians 🇮🇳worldwide need to boycott International travel to Turkey and Ajerbaijan #BoycottTurkeyAzerbaijan pic.twitter.com/rGQJBLKwrN — Jahid Hussain 📈 (@JahidHussain2) May 10, 2025
The ripple effect is now being felt across the tourism industry. EaseMyTrip, a popular Indian travel booking platform, released an official advisory discouraging travel to both Turkey and Azerbaijan.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the company stated: 'Following the Pahalgam attack and escalating tensions between India & Pakistan, travellers are urged to stay aware. As Turkey & Azerbaijan have shown support for Pakistan, we strongly recommend visiting only if absolutely necessary."
The episode underscores how swiftly international politics can influence consumer behaviour, with Indian travellers now rethinking their holiday plans in light of national sentiment.
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