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New Delhi: Turkey and Azerbaijan are still facing continuous losses in their tourism sector, after India decided to impose soft sanctions on these nations, following their aid to Pakistan, during the Operation Sindoor in May. This episode highlights how escalation of external tensions between nations can lead to several issues.
Before the conflict, both Turkey and Azerbaijan were among the fastest-growing destinations for Indian tourists, buoyed by new direct flights and aggressive promotions. But at present, the tables have turned dramatically.
Reports say that Indian arrivals to Azerbaijan fell by 70%, while travel to Turkey dropped by 38% compared to the same period last year. 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.
The decline is significant, last year almost one lakh people visited Azerbaijan during the four months, whereas in 2025, it dropped to 44,000. 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 reveals a similar downfall in its tourism sector. 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.
Online travel agencies in India changed their strategy as per the public sentiment. Major platforms like MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, Ixigo, and Cox & Kings either removed Turkey and Azerbaijan listings or advised against non-essential travel.
Both bookings and cancellations reflect a swift and coordinated backlash. Within days of the conflict, travel reservations plummeted and refunds spiked across platforms.
