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Avoid Turkey, Azerbaijan for backing Pakistan: Travel firms tell Indians
Thousands of Indians are calling for a boycott of travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan as tensions between India and Pakistan continue to escalate. The backlash follows statements from both Turkey and Azerbaijan expressing solidarity with Pakistan after India's recent military action.
Nishant Pittie, founder and chairman of EaseMyTrip, said, 'In view of the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025 and war-like situations between India and Pakistan, it is disheartening to note that Turkey and Azerbaijan have extended their support to Pakistan. EaseMyTrip strongly advise limiting travel to these countries unless absolutely essential.'
He added, 'The safety of travellers is our top priority. We advise all our customers to exercise utmost caution and stay updated on official travel advisories before planning trips to sensitive regions.'
Pickyourtrail.com also acted swiftly, suspending all travel planning to Turkey and Azerbaijan.
'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 Pickyourtrail.
'As an Indian travel company, our first duty is to the Indian traveller. Jai Hind,' he added.
Go Homestays followed by ending its partnership with Turkish Airlines.
Impact on travel plans
Speaking to Business Standard, Karan Agarwal, director at Cox & Kings, offered a wider view of the disruption.
'In moments like these, when geopolitical tensions are high, travellers need to balance their desire to explore with an understanding of the broader context. It's not just about where you go, but when and how,' said Agarwal.
'Travellers should reconsider non-essential trips to domestic regions like Kashmir, parts of Jammu, Leh, and Amritsar. These areas often experience operational and security disruptions when tensions escalate.'
He also explained the international effect on flight routes. 'Routes to Europe, North America, and Central Asia are seeing longer flight durations as airlines reroute around Pakistani airspace. Travellers flying to cities like London, Frankfurt, Toronto, and transit hubs like Dubai should plan for possible delays or changes.'
'There's reason to be cautious with travel to regions with broader instability whether that's parts of the Middle East, Israel, or Afghanistan. It's about timing plans with intelligence and awareness,' said Agarwal.
What Turkey and Azerbaijan said
The move to boycott came after official statements from both Turkey and Azerbaijan on April 23, 2025. These were issued following India's Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said, 'The Republic of Azerbaijan expresses its concern over the further escalation of tension between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. 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.'
In Islamabad, Turkey's ambassador to Pakistan met with foreign minister Ishaq Dar. The Pakistani foreign ministry wrote on X that both sides 'discussed regional security concerns in depth' and Turkey had termed India's action as an 'unprovoked violation of Pakistan's sovereignty'.
Strong social media reaction
The response online was immediate. Social media posts widely circulated statistics from 2024, when 2.4 lakh Indians travelled to Azerbaijan and 3.3 lakh visited Turkey. Many posts called for travellers to instead consider Armenia and Greece.
'Tourism is a choice. So is dignity,' read one popular post. Another user, Anant Ladha, wrote on X, 'Azerbaijan (Baku) and Turkey should now see India's power. We should ban these locations from our holidays.'
Alok Jain added, 'No more Baku visits please. In 2024, Azerbaijan witnessed a surge in Indian tourists. Show them the power of Indian tourists now.'
The account known as The Skin Doctor said, 'I see no reason why any patriotic Indian should spend their money there. Instead, consider visiting Armenia and Greece.'
Goa Villas, a villa rental aggregator, joined the movement.
'Due to Turkey's non-cooperative stance in the current global scenario involving India and Pakistan, we've decided not to offer any accommodation services to Turkish citizens in Goa. We stand firmly with our nation,' the company wrote on X.
Atlys, a visa processing firm, and global travel app Skyscanner had earlier reported that Azerbaijan had become a popular option for Indian travellers in summer 2025 before the current events unfolded.
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