Want to hurt Turkey and Azerbaijan for backing Pakistan? Billionaire Harsh Goenka says Indians can cause Rs 4,000 crore blow by doing this
Billionaire Harsh Goenka has called on Indians to boycott Turkey and Azerbaijan after both countries extended support to Pakistan following the
Pahalgam terror attack
in Kashmir. Goenka, Chairman of
RPG Group
, posted a direct appeal on X, highlighting the significant contribution of Indian tourists to the two nations' economies last year.
'Indians gave ₹4,000+ crore to Turkey & Azerbaijan last year through tourism. Created jobs. Boosted their economy, hotels, weddings, flights. Today, both stand with Pakistan after Pahalgam attack. Plenty of beautiful places in India & the world. Please skip these 2 places. Jai Hind,' wrote Goenka on 10 May 2025.
— hvgoenka (@hvgoenka)
GIF89a����!�,D;
Continue to video
5
5
Next
Stay
Playback speed
1x Normal
Back
0.25x
0.5x
1x Normal
1.5x
2x
5
5
/
Skip
Ads by
His post triggered an immediate and widespread response from India's travel industry and netizens alike.
Travel industry joins national call for boycott
Indian travel platforms
swiftly moved to show solidarity. Ixigo was among the first, posting on X:
'In solidarity with our nation, ixigo is suspending flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, Azerbaijan and China. Because when it comes to Bharat, we don't think twice. Jai Hind.'
Live Events
— ixigo (@ixigo)
Cox & Kings announced a temporary suspension of bookings to Turkey, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, stating:
'WE STAND WITH INDIA. Sometimes, a pause becomes a necessity. In light of the current national sentiments, we're putting a temporary hold on all new travel to Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. Even though respect and understanding of the world remain at the heart of everything we do, while the nation waits, so will some of our journeys. #JaiHind #CoxAndKings.'
— coxandkingsIN (@coxandkingsIN)
EaseMyTrip issued a travel advisory, saying, 'Travel Advisory!!! 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. Stay informed. Travel responsibly.'
— EaseMyTrip (@EaseMyTrip)
Co-founder of EaseMyTrip, Prashant Pitti says, "We were the first ones to take out a travel advisory against Turkey and Azerbaijan when we got to know that these countries were supporting the wrong side. After us, many travel agencies took our similar advisories."
Online platform Pickyourtrail also declared. 'We've paused all new travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan. When national interest is at stake, we stand with India. While we remain deeply respectful of all people and cultures, some journeys must wait. Jai Hind.'
— Pickyourtrail (@Pickyourtrail)
Go Homestays took a definitive step, announcing, 'We are officially ending our partnership with Turkish Airlines due to their unsupportive stance towards India. Going forward, we will no longer include their flights in our international travel packages. Jai Hind.'
— GoHomestay (@GoHomestay)
Also Read:
Indians boycott Turkey, Azerbaijan for backing Pakistan after Operation Sindoor; cancellations up 250%: MakeMyTrip
Travel bookings nosedive as tensions surge
The consequences of the boycott are already visible. MakeMyTrip confirmed a sharp drop in demand:
'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 MakeMyTrip spokesperson.
'We have already discontinued all promotions and offers on our platform to discourage tourism to these two destinations,' the company added.
Meanwhile, Goa Villas declared, '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. Jai Hind.'
Operation Sindoor and the fallout
The Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April 2025, which killed 26 Indian tourists, triggered nationwide grief and outrage. In response, India launched 'Operation Sindoor' on 7 May, striking nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Soon after, both Turkey and Azerbaijan made public statements supporting Pakistan. Their remarks, viewed by many Indians as provocative, led to a wave of online criticism and the current travel boycott campaign.
The backlash has been fierce. Social media users have recalled India's past goodwill, including its humanitarian aid to Turkey following a devastating earthquake. The contrast between that support and Turkey's present stance has only intensified public anger.
Indians were the second-largest group of foreign visitors to Turkey after the Chinese in 2024, spending more per capita than most other travellers. Azerbaijan, meanwhile, saw a 108% surge in Indian tourist arrivals last year.
The call to boycott tourism is not merely symbolic. If sustained, the impact could significantly affect the hospitality and travel sectors of both countries. Indian tourists, weddings, and business events contribute heavily to their economies.
For many Indians, the issue is not just about geopolitics, but about principle. The travel industry's rapid alignment with this sentiment shows how patriotism and public opinion can translate into real-world action.
As Goenka stated plainly, 'Plenty of beautiful places in India and the world. Please skip these 2 places. Jai Hind.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
12 minutes ago
- Time of India
PM Modi to visit Cyprus in the middle of Turkiye-Pakistan solidarity
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File photo) NEW DELHI: As India works to expand its footprint in Europe, PM Narendra Modi will visit Cyprus on his way to Canada for the G7 summit and Croatia while returning home. Both Cyprus and Croatia are members of the EU and the former will hold the rotating presidency of the EU Council for the first half of the next year. Modi was scheduled to travel to Croatia last month, along with the Netherlands and Norway, but the visit had to be postponed because of the military tensions between India and Pakistan. The G7 summit takes place at Kananaskis in Alberta from June 15 to 17, with Modi participating in the outreach session on the last day. The eleventh hour invitation by Canada means that PM's programme is yet to be finalised but government sources said efforts are underway to schedule bilateral meetings. The visit to Cyprus, only the 3rd by an Indian PM after A B Vajpayee in 2002 and Indira Gandhi in 1983, will also be followed closely as it comes in the middle of tensions between India and Turkiye over the latter's support to Pakistan - and the show of solidarity by President Recep Erdogan himself - during the India-Pakistan military clash last month. Ankara's recognition of the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the northern region that was seized by Turkish forces in 1974 and differences over gas exploration rights in the Eastern Mediterranean remain a constant source of tensions between Turkiye and Cyprus. India has consistently backed solution of what is known as the Cyprus problem through UNSC resolutions and international law. As Turkiye stands solidly with Pakistan, India has sought to strengthen ties with both Cyprus and Greece, focusing on defence and security cooperation. Modi became the first Indian PM to visit Greece in 40 years when he travelled to Athens in 2023. Both countries have supported India on issues concerning terrorism and also on Kashmir. According to the MEA, Cyprus has backed India on a number of significant issues like India's election to UNSC, the India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement, NSG membership and also the 1998 nuclear tests. Modi's visit to Croatia on his way back will also be the first visit by any Indian PM to the country. S Jaishankar became the first Indian foreign minister to visit the southeast European country in 2021 as the 2 countries looked to expand bilateral ties. Two years later, India and Croatia also signed an MoU for defence cooperation.
News18
15 minutes ago
- News18
Wipro Shares In Focus After Azim Premji Trust Sells Equities Worth Rs 5,057 Cr
Last Updated: The primary purchasers in this deal were three entities: Hasham Traders, Prazim Traders, and Prazim Trading and Investment Company Private Limited. Wipro Share Price: Wipro's shares garnered significant attention on Tuesday, June 10, following a major transaction where the Azim Premji Trust sold 20.23 crore equity shares worth Rs 5,057 crore through a block deal. According to NSE data, the equity price for each Wipro share was set at Rs 250. The primary purchasers in this deal were three entities: Hasham Traders, Prazim Traders, and Prazim Trading and Investment Company Private Limited. On Monday, Hasham Traders acquired 11.9 crore equity shares, Prazim Traders bought 5.95 crore shares, and Prazim Trading and Investment Company Pvt Ltd purchased 2.38 crore shares, all at an average price of Rs 250 per share. Wipro's shares closed at Rs 251.30 on BSE on Monday, marking a gain of 1.09 per cent. The stock opened at Rs 249.30, compared to the previous day's close at Rs 248.60. The Azim Premji Trust is a philanthropic organization established by Indian business magnate Azim Premji to support his philanthropic pursuits. It focuses on education, health, and livelihood, aiming to create a more just, equitable, humane, and sustainable society. Azim Premji Trust held 1,06,31,85,966 equity shares in the company which represented 10.15% stake as on March 31, 2025. First Published: June 10, 2025, 07:06 IST
News18
15 minutes ago
- News18
Stock Market Updates: GIFT Nifty Indicates A Positive Start For Sensex, Nifty On June 10
Last Updated: US-China trade talks, global cues, and institutional flows are likely to set the tone for Indian benchmark indices Sensex Today: US-China trade talks, global cues, and institutional flows are likely to set the tone for Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, in today's trade. At 8:15 AM, GIFT Nifty futures were up by 61 points at 25,243, indicating a positive start for the domestic markets. Global Cues Asian markets advanced on Tuesday as investors kept a close eye on the ongoing US-China trade negotiations, now entering their second day. Talks in London on Monday saw US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer engage with a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier He Lifeng. In the latest updates, Japan's Nikkei rose 0.5 per cent, the Topix index added 0.2 per cent, while South Korea's Kospi climbed 0.3 per cent. Australia's ASX200 gained 0.49 per cent. US stock futures were largely flat in early Asian trade as investors waited for more signals from the trade talks. On Monday, Wall Street had a mixed session: the S&P 500 edged up 0.09 per cent, the Nasdaq gained 0.31 per cent, while the Dow Jones closed marginally lower. First Published:
