Amidst public calls for ‘Boycott Turkey’ and ‘Boycott Azerbaijan’, travel bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan have significantly declined. Major online travel companies have reported numerous cancellations, driven by public reaction to these nations’ backing of Pakistan during the recent India-Pakistan tensions.Indian tourism to Turkey and Azerbaijan had seen substantial growth recently due to better flight connections. IndiGo’s introduction of direct flights to Istanbul in 2019 and Baku in 2023 contributed significantly to increased travel to these destinations.Data from MakeMyTrip shows bookings dropped by 60% whilst cancellations rose by 250% in the previous week. Similarly, Cleartrip experienced a 260% rise in cancellations. Travel operators have responded by issuing advisories, cancelling package tours and halting bookings to these destinations.“In solidarity with our nation and out of deep respect for our armed forces, we strongly support this sentiment and advise against all non-essential travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey,” a MakeMyTrip spokesperson said. “We have already discontinued all promotions and offers on our platform to discourage tourism to these two destinations.”Also Read | Explainer: India’s trade relations with Turkey, Azerbaijan and how it may be affected after Pakistan conflictSince May 8, social networks have seen widespread calls to boycott these nations following their support for Pakistan against India’s Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack.“In the interest of standing together during this time, we urge everyone to defer all non-essential travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan,” Cleartrip told ET in a statement.EaseMyTrip cofounder Rikant Pittie noted cancellation increases of 22% for Turkey and 30% for Azerbaijan. He indicated that travellers are now selecting alternative destinations such as Georgia, Serbia, Greece, Thailand, and Vietnam.Pittie observed that whilst bookings to affected areas have stopped due to post-ceasefire uncertainties, travel to other regions remains unaffected. He advised customers to consult official sources when planning international travel.Ixigo has halted all bookings to Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China in response to current circumstances. “Respecting the sentiments shared by all Indians at this time, we have suspended all flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China. Our commitment is to act responsibly and in alignment with our country’s broader interests. Blood and bookings won’t flow together,” Aloke Bajpai and Rajnish Kumar, cofounders of ixigo said.Also Read | India-Pakistan ceasefire: How India’s punitive measures will continue to hit Pakistan’s fragile economy – explainedDespite calls to reduce direct flights by Indian carriers to these nations, an airline executive highlighted potential drawbacks. The executive noted that such reductions would advantage Middle Eastern airlines over Indian carriers.The executive further explained that Gulf carriers currently control much of the India-Europe transit traffic. A reduction in Indian connectivity would strengthen their position, potentially resulting in extended journey times and increased costs for Indian passengers, representing a crucial market segment that shouldn’t be surrendered.
