Cancellations surge as Indians boycott Turkey, Azerbaijan; EaseMyTrip CEO says travellers are now choosing… – India News

Indians have called for an immediate boycott of Turkey and Azerbaijan — citing ‘national interests’ in the wake of Operation Sindoor. Both nations had courted outrage earlier this month after lending their “support” to Pakistan amid escalating tensions. Tourism platforms such as EaseMyTrip and Ixigo have since issued advisories against visiting the two countries due to ‘security risks and political tensions’.

“Recent geopolitical tensions are substantially affecting travel patterns. Cancellation rates have reached 22% for Turkey and 30% for Azerbaijan, with travelers increasingly choosing destinations like Georgia, Serbia, Greece, Thailand, and Vietnam. There is a preference shift when it comes to choosing a destination. Bookings to impacted areas have halted due to post-ceasefire uncertainties, while unaffected airports and regions maintain normal operations without major disruptions,” EaseMyTrip co-founder Rikant Pittie told FinancialExpress.com.

The CEO said that they were maintaining ‘cautious optimism’ while prioritising traveller safety. EaseMyTrip has urged against non-essential travel to the affected areas and also released a travel advisory to this effect.

Other travel platforms have also scrapped promotional offers and cautioned against travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey amid growing calls for a boycott. MakeMyTrip also noted a significant shift in travel trends — with a 250% surge in cancellations and a 60% drop in bookings to both destinations within just one week.

Meanwhile the Indian Chamber of Commerce’s Expert Committee on Aviation and Tourism has predicted a 50% to 60% decline in tourism to the two countries. Chairman Subhash Goyal also urged the Indian government to issue a formal travel advisory for citizens. Some trade bodies in India have already announced a boycott of Turkish goods such as apples and marble in response to Ankara’s diplomatic stance.

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}