Bookings down 60%, cancellations up 250%: Indian tourists avoid Turkey, Azerbaijan post Operation Sindoor
Before the conflict, both Turkey and Azerbaijan were among the fastest-growing destinations for Indian tourists, buoyed by new direct flights and aggressive promotions.
- Oct 19, 2025,
- Updated Oct 19, 2025 1:59 PM IST
Indians are turning their backs on Turkey and Azerbaijan after both nations publicly backed Pakistan during the recent conflict, leading to a sharp collapse in tourism numbers and travel bookings.
According to The Indian Express, official tourism data and industry inputs point to a massive drop in Indian arrivals to the two countries following Operation Sindoor, as national sentiment translated into a widespread travel boycott.
Before the conflict, both Turkey and Azerbaijan were among the fastest-growing destinations for Indian tourists, buoyed by new direct flights and aggressive promotions. That momentum has now reversed dramatically.
Steep drop in visitor numbers
Between May and August, Azerbaijan witnessed a 56% plunge in Indian visitors compared to the same period last year, while Turkey recorded a 33% decline.
In absolute terms, only around 44,000 Indians visited Azerbaijan during the four-month period, down from nearly one lakh in 2024. The slump pushed India from Azerbaijan’s top five source markets to eleventh place by August. Just 6,032 Indians travelled there in August — a 72% year-on-year drop, as per the report.
Turkey’s numbers show a similar trend. Between May and August, Indian tourist arrivals fell to about 90,400, down from 1.36 lakh a year earlier. For the January-August period overall, arrivals declined 21% to 1.74 lakh, contrasting sharply with 2024’s surge when 3.31 lakh Indians visited Turkey, the report added.
Travel industry response
Online travel agencies in India moved quickly to reflect public sentiment. Major platforms like MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, Ixigo, and Cox & Kings either removed Turkey and Azerbaijan listings or advised against non-essential travel.
On May 14, MakeMyTrip released a strong statement, “Indian travellers have expressed strong sentiments over the past one week, with bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey decreasing by 60%, while cancellations have surged by 250%. In solidarity with our nation and out of deep respect for our armed forces, we strongly support this sentiment and advise against all non-essential travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey.”
Both bookings and cancellations tell the story of a swift and coordinated backlash. Within days of the conflict, travel reservations plummeted and refunds spiked across platforms.
Empty seats
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data further underscores how steep the reversal has been. In 2024, 80,567 passengers flew directly from India to Azerbaijan — nearly triple the 2023 figure of 28,899. Direct traffic to Turkey rose to 5.05 lakh passengers, up 15% year-on-year.
Today, that boom appears to have stalled as airlines and tour operators report a sudden dip in load factors on those routes.
For Azerbaijan, which had identified India as a “key target market,” the tourism setback has been especially severe. Turkey too faces a cooling off in what had become one of its most promising long-haul travel markets.
Indians are turning their backs on Turkey and Azerbaijan after both nations publicly backed Pakistan during the recent conflict, leading to a sharp collapse in tourism numbers and travel bookings.
According to The Indian Express, official tourism data and industry inputs point to a massive drop in Indian arrivals to the two countries following Operation Sindoor, as national sentiment translated into a widespread travel boycott.
Before the conflict, both Turkey and Azerbaijan were among the fastest-growing destinations for Indian tourists, buoyed by new direct flights and aggressive promotions. That momentum has now reversed dramatically.
Steep drop in visitor numbers
Between May and August, Azerbaijan witnessed a 56% plunge in Indian visitors compared to the same period last year, while Turkey recorded a 33% decline.
In absolute terms, only around 44,000 Indians visited Azerbaijan during the four-month period, down from nearly one lakh in 2024. The slump pushed India from Azerbaijan’s top five source markets to eleventh place by August. Just 6,032 Indians travelled there in August — a 72% year-on-year drop, as per the report.
Turkey’s numbers show a similar trend. Between May and August, Indian tourist arrivals fell to about 90,400, down from 1.36 lakh a year earlier. For the January-August period overall, arrivals declined 21% to 1.74 lakh, contrasting sharply with 2024’s surge when 3.31 lakh Indians visited Turkey, the report added.
Travel industry response
Online travel agencies in India moved quickly to reflect public sentiment. Major platforms like MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, Ixigo, and Cox & Kings either removed Turkey and Azerbaijan listings or advised against non-essential travel.
On May 14, MakeMyTrip released a strong statement, “Indian travellers have expressed strong sentiments over the past one week, with bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey decreasing by 60%, while cancellations have surged by 250%. In solidarity with our nation and out of deep respect for our armed forces, we strongly support this sentiment and advise against all non-essential travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey.”
Both bookings and cancellations tell the story of a swift and coordinated backlash. Within days of the conflict, travel reservations plummeted and refunds spiked across platforms.
Empty seats
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data further underscores how steep the reversal has been. In 2024, 80,567 passengers flew directly from India to Azerbaijan — nearly triple the 2023 figure of 28,899. Direct traffic to Turkey rose to 5.05 lakh passengers, up 15% year-on-year.
Today, that boom appears to have stalled as airlines and tour operators report a sudden dip in load factors on those routes.
For Azerbaijan, which had identified India as a “key target market,” the tourism setback has been especially severe. Turkey too faces a cooling off in what had become one of its most promising long-haul travel markets.