Bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan plunge as Indian travellers cancel trips after both nations backed Pakistan post-Operation Sindoor; travel firms report steep declines
Indian travellers have sharply cut trips to Turkey and Azerbaijan after both countries publicly backed Pakistan following India’s Operation Sindoor, industry data and tourism boards show. Azerbaijan recorded a 56% drop in visitors from India between May and August compared with the previous year, while Turkey saw about a 33% fall in the same period — figures that underline a rapid shift in travel demand.
Booking platforms and travel firms report steep cancellations and falling inquiries: some marketplaces recorded bookings down by about 60% and a surge in cancellations as high as 250%, with many Indian travellers opting to postpone or reroute holiday plans. Visa application volumes to these countries also dipped, reflecting the travel-market ripple effect.
Beyond the headline numbers, the fallout includes commercial decisions by Indian travel companies—several have suspended new packages and cut ties with partner carriers or halted promotions for the two destinations. The slump affects airlines, tour operators and hospitality revenues and may push travellers toward alternate destinations such as Georgia, Greece and Southeast Asia.
Search-intent phrases and long-tail queries that will capture traffic from concerned travellers and industry watchers include: “why Indians are cancelling Turkey trips after Operation Sindoor”, “Azerbaijan tourism decline May–Aug 2025 India”, “bookings to Turkey fall 2025 India”, and short-tail terms like “Turkey cancellations India” and “Azerbaijan tourism India”. This story combines hard tourism data, travel-industry responses, and practical guidance for affected travellers — refunds, rebooking options and safer alternate destinations — to answer both immediate queries and planning searches.
