Indian Travel Firms Suspend Bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan Over Pakistan Support
Travel is now becoming part of India's soft power toolkit. And the country is no longer shying away from using its muscle to make that point.
Several Indian travel companies suspended new bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan on Friday, a new step in the escalating fallout from the India-Pakistan conflict.
The decisions followed official condemnations from Turkey and Azerbaijan of India's recent strikes in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, sparking calls on Indian social media for a boycott of travel to both nations.
Regarding the Recent Developments Between Pakistan and India https://t.co/6Eg6YpIzit pic.twitter.com/VQIqIqoVZh — Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) May 7, 2025
PickYourTrail said it is still supporting travelers currently abroad or with existing itineraries, but that it will not accept new trips to Turkey or Azerbaijan.
'We're pausing all new bookings to these destinations for now,' said Hari Ganapathy, co-founder of PickYourTrail, in a post on LinkedIn. 'This isn't a judgment on people or cultures... but when a government's stance challenges India's sovereignty, we believe it's our responsibility to respond, not look away.'
Cox & Kings, an India-based company owned by Wilson & Hughes, also paused travel to Uzbekistan. Karan Agarwal, the director, said the company is prioritizing traveler safety and national sentiment: 'We also advise Indian travelers to exercise discretion and avoid any non-essential travel to these destinations until there is greater clarity and alignment in the broader geopolitical environment.'
EaseMyTrip founder Nishant Pittie urged travelers to reconsider travel plans unless absolutely necessary. 'It is disheartening to note that Turkey and Azerbaijan have extended their support to Pakistan,' Pittie said in a statement.
Travel accommodation brand Go Homestays announced an end to its partnership with Turkish Airlines, citing the airline's 'unsupportive stance towards India.'
Due to Turkey's non-cooperative stance in the current global scenario involving India and Pakistan, we've decided not to offer any accommodation services to Turkish citizens in Goa. We stand firmly with our nation.
Jai Hind 🇮🇳 — Goa Villas (@Goavilla_) May 8, 2025
Vacation rental company Goa Villas said it would no longer accept Turkish citizens as guests in its properties.
Social media has amplified calls for boycotts, with many users urging fellow Indians to avoid holidays in Turkey and Azerbaijan, despite their popularity and recent growth in Indian tourist numbers.
The rise in Indian outbound travel to these regions was significant before the current crisis.
More than 243,000 Indians visited Azerbaijan in 2024, double the prior year and up from around 5,000 in 2014.
Turkey reported a 21% increase in Indian visitors in 2024. The tourism board cited better air connectivity, wedding tourism, and marketing efforts as playing a crucial role in positioning Turkey as a preferred destination for Indian travelers.
The Background
After tensions escalated between India and Pakistan on Wednesday, India has so far shut down 27 major airports in north, west and central parts of the country till May 10. These include Chandigarh, Srinagar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Shimla, Bhatinda, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jammu, Leh, Rajkot, Pathankot, Bhuj, Gwalior, Hindon and more.
With the tightening of security measures at airports, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has asked passengers to arrive at the airports at least three hours prior to departure.
'In view of an order by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on enhanced measures at airports, passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure to ensure smooth check-in and boarding,' Air india said in a statement.
IndiGo in an update said that with all flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, and Rajkot cancelled until May 10, bookings made on or before May 8 are eligible for change/cancellation fee waiver for travel until May 22 to and from these destinations.
Air India Express said it is offering a full refund or free rescheduling for flights to and from Amritsar, Gwalior, Jammu, Srinagar and Hindon until 05:30hrs on May 10.
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