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Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Support to Pakistan costs Turkey, Azerbaijan as Indians shift out weddings, corporate events
India's wealthy families and non-resident Indians are increasingly steering clear of Turkey and Azerbaijan for weddings and corporate events, amid rising tensions tied to those countries' perceived support for Pakistan. Planners say several high-profile weddings and corporate events have already been rescheduled or relocated, dealing a blow to the region's lucrative destination events business. Event managers cite growing discomfort among clients. Prachi Tandon, co-founder and director of Copper Events, said that many clients are now looking at alternatives such as the UAE and Rajasthan. "Bahrain has become the most important destination for us now," she said, adding that supportive policies from local governments, such as visa fee waivers for couples, are also making a big difference. The chill in sentiment is not limited to weddings. Mihir Ranpara, co-founder of GoBananas, shared that an event his firm was managing for CREDAI, originally planned for Baku, Azerbaijan in September, has now been moved to Singapore. "We were about to sign hotel contracts, but given Azerbaijan's stand on the India-Pakistan issue, we decided to switch," he said. "As planners, we're not promoting Turkey and Azerbaijan anymore. " Turkey has emerged as a top-tier destination for Indian weddings over the last few years, especially cities like Antalya and Bodrum, known for their scenic coastlines and grand hospitality. But the current political undertone has dampened demand. "Destination management companies in Turkey are disappointed," said Vijay Arora, director of Touchwood Group, which handles large-scale events. "We had a strong network there, but most clients are now looking at Bahrain, Doha, and other Middle Eastern destinations." Industry veterans say the impact is being felt across the board, from event venues and hotels to makeup artists, caterers, and transportation providers in Turkey, who had grown dependent on Indian wedding business. Swati Pandya, founder of Global Luxe Weddings, expressed disappointment over the silence of Turkey's event services industry. "Indian weddings brought huge revenues to Turkey—from salons and entertainers to taxis and F&B—but none of them stood up for India. At this point, exploring options within India just makes more sense." Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Turkey off the table: Indian weddings, corporate events move out over Ankara's pro-Pakistan stance
Live Events New Delhi: Istanbul holds a special place in Abhinav Agrawal's (name changed on request) heart. It's where he first met his to-be-wife two years ago, so choosing it as his wedding destination for November felt 'right.'"But, with rising tensions because of Pakistan and Turkey's visible alignment with them, we no longer felt as emotionally connected or comfortable with hosting our wedding there," said Kolkata-based Agarwal. He has now zeroed in on Ras Al-Khaimah (UAE). "Besides the landscape and the warm hospitality, we like the sense of peace and security it offers," he individuals in India and even wealthy non-resident Indians are rescheduling their big fat destination weddings slotted for Turkey and choosing other options celebrations, offsites and official events scheduled for Turkey and Azerbaijan are getting cancelled, impacting the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) segments.(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)Prachi Tandon, co-founder and director of Copper Events, said clients were pushing their weddings scheduled for later this year to other destinations such as the UAE and even Rajasthan in India."Bahrain has become the most important destination for us now. Some of the UAE governments are very supportive and they have waived visa fees for couples planning their destination weddings there," she Ranpara, co-founder and director of event management company GoBananas, said his company was entrusted by The Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) to manage an event scheduled for Baku in September. The event, which is likely to be attended by 1,200 delegates, has now been shifted to Singapore."We were about to sign the contracts with hotels but considering the stance of Azerbaijan in the India-Pakistan conflict, we have shifted the event to Singapore. We have decided that as planners, we are not going to promote Turkey and Azerbaijan. We are suggesting destinations such as Bali, Thailand and Sri Lanka," he Arora, co-founder and director of Touchwood Group, which manages large-scale weddings and corporate events, said he does a lot of weddings from Turkey. "Antalya and Bodrum have been in-demand destinations. We share a good rapport with the destination management companies there and they are also disappointed and sad to see the turn of events," he said. "Most clients are considering Bahrain, Doha, and the Middle East," he Khanna (name changed on request) had finalised Antalya for his wedding slated for March next year. "It has everything we wanted, from the scenic coastline to beautiful resorts, but with the recent uncertainties, we've had to put our plans on hold," said Khanna. "We're now exploring Rajasthan and Bahrain as possible options. At this point, we just want a place where everyone feels safe and we can celebrate without worrying," he Pandya, founder, Global Luxe Weddings, said Indian weddings had generated a lot of revenues for the services industry in Turkey."From salons to entertainment to F&B establishments, to taxi operators, everyone benefited. But it is disgraceful that none of these companies or industry associations took a stand for India. There are so many possibilities in India, and exploring options here makes a lot more sense," she added.
