A wave of cancellations is sweeping through Indian tourists who are now pulling the plug on their trips to Turkey and Azerbaijan. This shift comes in light of these countries showing support for Pakistan amid the recent conflict with India, which was ignited by the tragic massacre of 26 tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam by terrorists backed by Islamabad
Major online travel booking sites like MakeMyTrip and EaseMyTrip have reported a significant drop in Indian travelers eager to visit Turkey and Azerbaijan, largely due to their anti-India stance during Operation Sindoor.
“Over the past week, Indian travelers have voiced their strong feelings, leading to a 60 percent decrease in bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey, while cancellations have skyrocketed by 250 percent,” MakeMyTrip shared in a statement on Wednesday.
Although MakeMyTrip hasn’t halted flight bookings to these destinations, they expressed, “In solidarity with our nation and out of deep respect for our armed forces, we fully support this sentiment and recommend avoiding all non-essential travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey. We’ve also stopped all promotions and offers on our platform to discourage tourism to these locations.”
Nishant Pitti, founder and former chairman of EaseMyTrip, noted that their platform has seen a 22 percent cancellation rate for trips to Turkey and over 30 percent for Azerbaijan.
He urged travelers to steer clear of Turkey and Azerbaijan due to their public backing of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
In a post on X, Pitti also touched on the topic of celebrities endorsing Chinese products and websites, emphasizing that national interests should take precedence over personal gains or convenience.
“Valid question – what about websites owned by Chinese firms? What about celebs promoting Chinese products? The answer lies in our choices. Stop using such sites. Boycott those endorsements. National interest, personal convenience or profit. Time to walk the talk,” Pitti wrote on X.
Pitti mentioned that the platform has decided against canceling or boycotting existing bookings to prevent causing major disruptions, especially since many travelers use Turkey just for layovers.
The boycott from Indian tourists is anticipated to significantly affect the economies of both countries.
According to the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, around 243,589 Indian tourists visited the country in 2024, and they expect an 11 percent growth over the next decade. In 2024, Turkey welcomed 330,000 Indian visitors, a notable increase from 119,503 in 2014, as reported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey.
On average, Indian tourists spend between $1,200 and $1,500 during their stay in Turkey, leading to an estimated total spending of $350-400 million (roughly Rs 3,000 crore) by Indian tourists in 2023.
Tourism plays a crucial role in Turkey’s economy, contributing about 12 percent to the country’s GDP. The sector also provides 10 percent of total employment. India is rapidly becoming one of Turkey’s key source markets for tourism.
Indian Tourists Are Cancelling Trips To Turkey, Azerbaijan
According to information from EaseMyTrip, last year saw 287,000 Indians making their way to Turkey, while 243,000 chose Azerbaijan as their destination.
Tourism plays a vital role in both countries’ economies:
Turkey: 12% of GDP, 10% of jobs
Azerbaijan: 7.6% of GDP, 10% of jobs
In response to recent backlash, Pickyourtrail announced last week that they would be halting all new bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan. “This decision isn’t a reflection on the people, but rather a stand against policies that clash with India’s national interests,” stated Hari Ganapathy, the company’s co-founder.
“As an Indian travel company, our primary responsibility is to our Indian travelers. Jai Hind,” he added.
Following suit, Go Homestays ended its partnership with Turkish Airlines, and Cox & Kings put a stop to new packages for Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey.
Why travelers are reacting
The boycott stems from statements made on April 23, 2025, by the foreign ministries of Turkey and Azerbaijan, following India’s launch of Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry voiced its concerns over the situation, saying, “We condemn military attacks against Pakistan that resulted in civilian casualties. We stand in solidarity with the people of Pakistan and extend our condolences to the families affected.”
In Islamabad, Turkey’s ambassador met with Pakistan’s foreign minister, Ishaq Dar. A post on X from Pakistan’s foreign ministry indicated that Turkey referred to India’s actions as an “unprovoked violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.”
The travel scene is experiencing a noticeable shift towards northeast India. Rajiv Mehra, who serves as the president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators and the general secretary of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality, pointed out that trips to states near Pakistan are being called off due to security worries.
“Because of the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, many people are cancelling their plans to visit these areas,” Mehra shared with Business Standard. “On the flip side, we’re noticing a new trend: those who are scrapping their trips to these regions are now looking to book vacations in Darjeeling, Gangtok, Guwahati, and other beautiful spots in the northeast.”
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