Indian Tourists Cancel Turkey, Azerbaijan Trips Over Anti-India Stance During Operation Sindoor

Indian Tourists Cancel Turkey, Azerbaijan Trips Over Anti-India Stance During Operation Sindoor
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Indian tourists cancel trips to Turkey, Azerbaijan over anti-India stance during Operation Sindoor; bookings drop 60%, major impact on tourism revenue.

Due to both nations' assistance for Pakistan during the recent Operation Sindoor, which was sparked by the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir that claimed 26 Indian lives, Indian visitors are increasingly delaying their trips to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Bookings have sharply decreased, and cancellations have increased, according to major travel portals MakeMyTrip and EaseMyTrip. Over the previous week, MakeMyTrip reports that cancellations have climbed by 250% while bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan have decreased by 60%.

MakeMyTrip has discontinued all promotional deals and, in a show of solidarity with the country and its military, advised travelers to avoid unnecessary trips to Turkey and Azerbaijan, even if flights to both countries are still available.

Nishant Pitti, a co-founder of EaseMyTrip, stated that the cancellation rate for Turkey was 22% and for Azerbaijan it was over 30%. Pitti used X (previously Twitter) to advocate for a wider boycott of websites and goods linked to nations that are hostile to India, emphasizing the need of putting the interests of the country ahead of convenience or financial gain.

The continued boycott may have a significant effect on both countries' economies. An estimated $350–400 million was generated by the 330,000 Indian visitors that Turkey welcomed in 2024, with each visitor spending between $1,200 and $1,500. In the same year, Azerbaijan received close to 244,000 Indian visitors, and during the following ten years, it is anticipated that this number will increase.

Ten percent of Turkey's workforce is employed in the tourism industry, which contributes 12% of the country's GDP. For both nations, India continues to be one of their fastest-growing source markets, so the boycott might have a major negative economic impact.

The reaction of the Indian tourism industry is indicative of the growing popular disapproval of countries that are seen as unfriendly or unsupportive during times of national emergency.

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