BENGALURU (Kashmir English): Indian tourists are cancelling travel to Turkiye and Azerbaijan after both countries voiced support for Pakistan following last week’s air strikes by India, according to two major travel companies.
Turkiye and Azerbaijan, which Indian travellers often choose for their affordability and scenic attractions, issued statements backing Islamabad during the recent conflict. Since then, bookings to these countries by Indians have dropped sharply.
A spokesperson for MakeMyTrip said, “Bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkiye have decreased by 60 per cent over the past week, and cancellations have gone up by 250 per cent during the same time.”
EaseMyTrip CEO Rikant Pittie reported a 22 per cent increase in cancellations for Turkiye and 30 per cent for Azerbaijan, citing the current geopolitical situation as the main reason. He added that travellers now prefer destinations like Georgia, Serbia, Greece, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Meanwhile, another travel platform, ixigo, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that it had suspended bookings for flights and hotels in Turkiye, Azerbaijan, and China.
EaseMyTrip founder and chairman Nishant Pitti also took to X, highlighting that 287,000 Indians had visited Turkiye last year and 243,000 had travelled to Azerbaijan. “When these nations openly support Pakistan, should we fuel their tourism and their economies?” he wrote.
He further added, “Every rupee we spend abroad is a vote. Let’s spend it where our values are respected.”
While many support the cancellations as a “patriotic” move, some voices online have criticised the trend, warning against mixing politics with travel. Critics argue that ordinary citizens and small businesses in these countries, many of whom rely heavily on tourism, should not bear the brunt of diplomatic disagreements.
They also point out that in an increasingly connected world, such moves could set a precedent where global travel becomes influenced by political alignments, affecting cultural exchange and people-to-people ties.
Travel is a powerful tool. Let’s not use it to empower those who don’t stand with us.
Last year:
• 287,000 Indians visited Turkey &
• 243,000 visited AzerbaijanTourism drives their economies:
• Turkey: 12% of GDP | 10% of jobs
• Azerbaijan: 7.6% of GDP | 10% of jobsWhen…
— Nishant Pitti (@nishantpitti) May 9, 2025
