Just a month ago, if you asked any travel expert to recommend international destinations for Indians, two countries would’ve likely made the top five: Azerbaijan, for budget travelers, and Turkey, for those ready to splurge a little more.
But the situation has changed dramatically following the Pahalgam terror attack and the resulting India-Pakistan tensions. In the aftermath, both Turkey and Azerbaijan openly backed Pakistan — a move that triggered backlash from Indian travelers.
Indian tourists, who’ve been instrumental in boosting both nations’ tourism economies, responded swiftly: mass cancellations and a loud call for boycotts.
On Wednesday, Harsh Goenka, chairman of RPG Enterprises, weighed in too.
“Plenty of beautiful places in India & the world. Please skip these 2 places. Jai Hind. Today, both stand with Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Hashtags and actions followed
The hashtags #BoycottTurkey and #BoycottAzerbaijan gained momentum rapidly. In solidarity, many Indian travel companies took strong action:
- MakeMyTrip: Reported a 60% drop in bookings for Turkey and Azerbaijan in just one week; cancellations surged 250%. All promotions for the two countries have been withdrawn.
- EaseMyTrip: Saw 22% cancellations for Turkey and over 30% for Azerbaijan. All bookings for flights and hotels in both destinations suspended.
Their CEO noted: In 2024, 2.74 lakh Indians visited Turkey (a 20.7% increase YoY) and 2,43,589 visited Azerbaijan, making India Azerbaijan’s third-largest tourist market. - Ixigo: Halted all bookings to Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China. The CEO stated:
“Enough is enough! Blood and bookings won’t flow together.” - Farhan, Director of Sales at DMC Wale, shared:
“This was Turkey season in the Indian market. We had over 200 bookings for May, June, and July. Around 80% have been cancelled. We now have zero active bookings, only cancellations. This is a conscious decision — no government directive involved.”
Travel package pricing (Pre-boycott)
- Azerbaijan:
₹2,00,000 per couple for 4 days (flights excluded) - Turkey:
₹4,00,000 per couple for 7 days (flights & visa excluded)
What was the actual spend?
Let’s look at how much Indians were spending:
Azerbaijan
According to the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, Indians spent ₹1,00,000–₹1,30,000 per trip (covering stay, meals, transport, and sightseeing).
- Stay:
3-star hotel: ₹8,000–₹10,000/night
5-star hotel: ₹20,000–₹40,000/night - Meals:
Budget: ₹500–₹1,500/day
Mid-range: ₹2,000–₹3,000/day - Transport:
Public: ₹30–₹100/ride
Taxi: ₹300–₹800/trip
Daily spend: ₹300–₹1,000 - Sightseeing:
Entry: ₹200–₹1,000
Daily spend: ₹500–₹1,500 - Visa:
Regular: ₹3,200
Express: ₹6,700
Average Daily Spend (excluding flight, stay & visa): ₹10,000
Turkey
The average Indian traveler spends ₹130,000 for 7 days (excluding flight and visa). Including a ₹17,700 visa and flights, the cost shoots up to around ₹200,000.
- Stay:
3-star hotel (Istanbul): ₹8,000–₹10,000/night
5-star hotel: ₹25,000+/night - Meals:
₹900–₹2,100/day (₹300–₹700/meal) - Transport:
Public: ₹40–₹80/ride
Taxis (4 km): ₹250–₹300 - Sightseeing:
Hagia Sophia / Topkapi Palace: ₹800–₹1,500
Cappadocia Balloon Ride: ₹15,000–₹25,000 - Visa:
₹17,700 for a 3-month, single-entry (double the cost of a Schengen visa)
How much did these countries earn from Indian tourists in 2024?
- Azerbaijan:
2,43,589 Indian tourists × ₹1,10,000 average spend
→ ₹26,794,790,000 ≈ ₹26.8 billion - Turkey:
3,30,000 Indian tourists × ₹1,30,000 average spend
→ ₹42,900,000,000 ≈ ₹42.9 billion
Note: These figures exclude flight costs.
Why were Turkey and Azerbaijan so popular?
The rise in popularity was fueled by
- Social media buzz – Reels, vlogs, influencer content
- Direct flights from metros like Delhi and Mumbai
- Bollywood factor—Films like Ek Tha Tiger spotlighted Turkey
- Tourism board campaigns and aggressive marketing
- Easy e-visas
- Destination weddings, luxury holidays, and MICE events
Even Bollywood saw growing ties, but recently, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) asked producers to stop filming in Turkey, given the diplomatic context.
The bottom line
As the India-Pakistan tensions spill into tourism, the boycott is no longer symbolic — it’s financial. With ₹69.7 billion in potential travel spend now off the table, Turkey and Azerbaijan may face serious losses — all thanks to the choices they made and how Indian travelers responded.
For now, the once-bustling Instagram Reels of Turkish bazaars and Baku skylines might just be a thing of the past.
