New Delhi: As the chorus for boycotting travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey grew in India amid Operation Sindoor, travel agencies and platforms announced putting a temporary pause to all such destinations.
Baku in Azerbaijan, and Turkey, have become sought-after travel destinations in recent times. But as the two countries extended their support to Pakistan in India’s military action against its neighbour, Indians started calling for a ban on travelling there.
Travel website Ixigo suspended all flight and hotel bookings to the two nations.
“Respecting the sentiments shared by all Indians at this time, we have suspended all flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China. Our commitment is to act responsibly and in alignment with our country’s broader interests, while prioritising the trust, safety, and interests of Indian travelers. Blood and bookings won’t flow together,” Aloke Bajpai, CEO of Ixigo, told ThePrint.
Meanwhile, websites such as Ease My Trip have shared travel advisories for everyone travelling to the two countries.
Smaller travel websites announced solidarity with India’s military action.
“We started international travel a year back, and Baku has been the consistent hot selling product. It was the most booked location for us, with an increase of trips from six-10 per month,” said Yashul Gupta, Brand Manager at Capture A Trip.
Baku’s popularity gained momentum as more Indians headed there to experience a unique mix of tradition and modernity.
“Some people said we could manage the trips despite the ongoing escalation, but as an Indian company, we decided to take this call to support our country ,” said Gupta.
Travomint decided to suspend all travel packages to Turkey and Azerbaijan on Thursday evening, when, according to a company spokesperson, they got to know that Turkey was supplying weapons and drones to Pakistan, and Azerbaijan was also supporting them. “Among the two, Turkey has historically been the more popular destination for Indian tourists, thanks to its rich cultural heritage and scenic beauty. However, both countries have seen significant interest in recent years,” the spokesperson said.
Travel agents also recorded a number of cancellations as the situation worsened in the last two days. With the closing of airspace and 32 Indian airports, travel plans to the United States, Japan, and Europe were also cancelled. But most cancellations were recorded for Azerbaijan and Turkey. Despite non-refundable bookings, families and solo travellers approached websites and agents to cancel bookings.
“Mass cancellations started for Turkey and Azerbaijan three days ago. And even if the situation changes with a ceasefire, there won’t be much travel from India to these two countries for the next six months, like it happened with the Maldives,” said travel agent Nimit Midha, whose agency Roads and Roadways has offices in Delhi and Ahmedabad.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)