Indian travellers shun Turkiye, Azerbaijan post-Operation Sindoor; Southeast Asia gains

Within 36 hours, 60 per cent of users exited the visa process mid-way, particularly from metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai, where Turkey-bound applications fell by 53 per cent. 
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Visa processing platform Atlys on Tuesday said there is a 42 per cent decline in visa applications to Turkiye and Azerbaijan, following recent developments that shifted Indian traveller sentiment.

Both countries had publicly expressed their support for Pakistan after India launched Operation Sindoor. Indian travellers responded swiftly by deciding to avoid travelling to Turkiye and Azerbaijan, Atlys added.

Within just 36 hours, the platform noted 60 per cent of users exiting the visa application process midway, it added.

The majority of this fall was from travellers in metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai, showing a 53 per cent drop in Turkey-bound applications, while interest from tier II cities such as Indore, and Jaipur remained more resilient, with a decline of only 20 per cent.

According to the company’s data, this reversal came after a strong start to the year (January-March), when visa applications to Turkiye and Azerbaijan had witnessed a growth of nearly 64 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

There was also a shift in the kind of travellers rethinking their plans, like group visa requests, including family trips, fell by nearly 49 per cent, while solo and couple applications declined more gradually at 27 per cent.

This suggests that larger group travellers, often planning further in advance and more sensitive to political sentiment, reacted more decisively than individual travellers, said Atlys.

Atlys data also revealed that travellers aged 25 to 34 years were the most likely to change course quickly, accounting for over 70 per cent of mid-process application drop-offs for Turkiye.

Interestingly, women travellers were more likely to switch destinations entirely, with a 2.3 times higher tendency to reinitiate applications for Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, or Thailand, it stated.   As Turkiye and Azerbaijan lost favour, alternate destinations surged in popularity as applications to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Egypt rose by up to 31 per cent.

These countries, seen as affordable, accessible, and politically neutral, are now drawing attention from the same traveller base that once favoured Baku and Istanbul.

For Indian travellers who value cost-efficiency and seamless travel documentation, the switch was almost immediate.

Atlys expects this rerouting trend to continue and if the current trajectory holds, Southeast Asia-bound travel from India is likely to see a good rebound by June and July, led by high intent from metros, younger travellers, and digitally savvy users planning short-haul international trips.

“The reaction wasn’t scattered, it was sharp and behavioural. People didn’t need to be told to avoid certain destinations. They simply moved on, guided by instinct, information, and access to alternatives.

“That’s what modern travel looks like. It’s emotionally intelligent, logistically agile, and backed by platforms that let people act fast. In the same spirit, we also paused all marketing efforts for Turkiye and Azerbaijan, standing by India and in solidarity with national sentiment,” Atlys founder and CEO Mohak Nahta added.

Published on May 20, 2025

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