Calls to boycott Turkey and Azerbaijan are growing in India after both countries publicly supported Pakistan amid rising tensions following Operation Sindoor.
Indians are calling off trips to popular tourist destinations in Turkey and Azerbaijan following the two countries’ support for Pakistan amid a recent armed conflict with New Delhi, according to two travel agencies cited by news agency Reuters.
Calls to boycott Turkey and Azerbaijan are growing in India after both countries publicly supported Pakistan amid rising tensions following Operation Sindoor and the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
Azerbaijan released a statement that echoed Pakistan’s position on the conflict, while Turkey backed Islamabad’s demand for an international investigation into the Pahalgam attack. Turkey has also supplied weapons to Pakistan in the past.
“Bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey decreasing by 60% (over the last week) while cancellations have surged by 250% during the same period,” Reuters quoted a spokesperson for MakeMyTrip, as saying.
EaseMyTrip’s Chief Executive Officer, Rikant Pittie shared a similar development saying, travellers had switched to Georgia, Serbia, Greece, Thailand and Vietnam.
“EaseMyTrip had seen a 22% rise in cancellations for Turkey and 30% for Azerbaijan due to recent geopolitical tensions,” he added.
Tourism industry urges boycott of Turkey, Azerbaijan
Travel booking site Ixigo earlier announced on ‘X’ that it is pausing flight and hotel bookings to Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China.
EaseMyTrip founder and chairman Nishant Pitti also posted on ‘X’, noting that 287,000 Indians travelled to Turkey and 243,000 to Azerbaijan last year. “When these nations openly support Pakistan, should we fuel their tourism and their economies?” Pitti said.
Subhash Goyal, Chairman of the Tourism Committee at the Indian Chamber of Commerce, said the industry stands for ethical and responsible tourism that aligns with national values.
“Several tourism associations and industry bodies have issued statements of solidarity and collective commitment towards prioritising our national interest over commercial goals. The Indian Chamber of Commerce joins these organisations in demanding a boycott of states like Turkey and Azerbaijan, following their stand against India’s response to terrorism. Tourism is a force for good and a driver of peace, global harmony and international understanding,” Goyal said.
India-Pakistan tensions
The tension between the neighbours flared up after India carried out a military operation, named Operation Sindoor, in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.