'Visit only if necessary': Gujarat travel agents advise against trips to Turkey, Azerbaijan
The diplomatic fallout has spilled into the travel sector, with travel agencies dissuading tourists from visiting the countries unless absolutely essential.
Turkey and Azerbaijan, long favoured by Indian tourists for their cultural experiences and picturesque locales—Baku, in particular, emerging as a trendy destination—have now found themselves in the eye of a political storm. Calls for boycotting the two nations have grown louder across social media and public discourse, leading to major online platforms and travel agents pulling the plug on travel promotions for these destinations.
Several travel platforms, including EaseMyTrip, have issued cautionary advisories. 'Following the Pahalgam attack and escalating tensions between India & Pakistan, travellers are urged to stay aware. As Turkey & Azerbaijan have shown support for Pakistan, we strongly recommend visiting only if absolutely necessary. Stay informed. Travel responsibly,' the company said in a statement.
Local travel operators in Gujarat echoed similar sentiments, urging passengers to reconsider or defer plans involving these countries in the current geopolitical climate.
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'At a meeting of national TAFI members on Saturday, members across states expressed growing concern about traveller sentiment towards countries like Turkey and Azerbaijan. There is a clear shift — travel industry players are ready to boycott these destinations.
Turkey and Baku had become easy-sell locations for Indian tourists due to affordable packages and relaxed visa norms, making them accessible across all budgets.
In fact, last year, at least 50-55% of total international travellers went to Turkey and Azerbaijan,' said Ankit Bajaj, a senior TAFI member and a travel expert based in Ahmedabad.
Travel industry insiders note that while cancellations and rerouted plans may cause a temporary dip in outbound traffic, safety and national sentiment are currently guiding customer choices. 'One of our groups which was travelling to Turkey cancelled their plans recently largely due to uncertainty and also the country's geopolitical stand.
Other clients are pretty much travelling to other destinations but concerns certainly remain.
So as an agency, we're doubly ensuring that local transportation, flights and accommodations are well in place,' said Payal Shah, founder of a travel company.
'Gujarat's travel industry has seen a major blow thanks to the recent terror attacks in Pahalgam followed by escalated border tensions. Summer is the peak travel season which accounts for about 60% of our annual revenues at travel companies.
However, the safety concerns, followed by airport shutdowns and escalated border tensions, have impacted tourism sentiment in a big way. As a result, last-minute cancellations are aplenty. We will lose out on about 70% of our revenue from the season,' explained an Ahmedabad-based travel expert.
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