By Kavita Mistry 
In the wake of heightened geopolitical tensions and diplomatic developments, India’s outbound travel sector has taken a decisive stance against tourism to countries that have supported Pakistan, namely Turkiye, Azerbaijan and China. Travel trade associations and leading travel platforms are urging the Government of India to issue a strong travel advisory against both nations, citing their support for Pakistan amid ongoing security concerns.
The call to action comes following Turkiye and Azerbaijan’s vocal backing of Pakistan during the recent escalation of tensions between India and its western neighbour. According to industry insiders, Indian tourist bookings to both Turkiye and Azerbaijan have dropped by 60% over the past week, with cancellations surging by an unprecedented 250%.
United industry voice
Industry bodies such as the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), and the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) have issued statements aligning with national interests and calling for collective restraint on promoting travel to nations seen to support terrorism or compromise India’s sovereignty.
“Travel is not just an economic activity; it reflects the values and ethics of a nation. As responsible stakeholders in the tourism sector, we believe that India must send a strong message to the global community that any form of support to terrorism, masked as financial aid or humanitarian assistance, is unacceptable,” said Ravi Gosain, President, IATO.
Echoing similar sentiments, OTOAI President Himanshu Patil said, “We urge the Government of India to take firm diplomatic steps, including issuing travel advisories against nations that continue to support or aid Pakistan either directly or indirectly. India must not fund economies that do not stand with us in our fight against terrorism.”
Tourism’s economic leverage
Last year, Turkiye welcomed over 287,000 Indian visitors, while Azerbaijan recorded 243,000 Indian tourist arrivals. Tourism contributes 12% to Turkiye’s GDP and supports 10% of its jobs. In Azerbaijan, the tourism sector accounts for 7.6% of GDP and employs a similar percentage of the workforce. Industry leaders argue that the continued inflow of Indian travellers provides a significant economic boost to these nations, one that should not be sustained in the face of political antagonism.
The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has also strongly condemned these countries’ diplomatic postures and warned of security concerns for Indian travellers.
“It is unacceptable for Indian travellers to fund destinations that do not respect India’s security concerns. TAAI calls upon the travel trade across India to refrain from promoting and selling tourism to these nations until their governments demonstrate support for India’s fight against terrorism,” the association said in a statement.
ADTOI also issued a call to action for domestic travel operators to halt the sale of tours to Turkiye and Azerbaijan. “Until these nations openly support India’s fight against terrorism, no Indian should travel to or promote destinations that disrespect our sovereignty or dishonour our martyrs,” said Ved Khanna, President, ADTOI.
Booking disruptions and response
Leading Indian travel companies have already taken significant steps. Travel booking platform ixigo was among the first to announce it had suspended all flight and hotel bookings for Turkiye, China, and Azerbaijan, in solidarity with India.
The hashtag #BoycottTurkeyAzerbaijan gained momentum on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday evening, after reports surfaced that the foreign ministries of Turkiye and Azerbaijan had issued separate statements expressing solidarity with Pakistan. Both Turkiye and Azerbaijan have become increasingly popular among Indian travellers in recent years, mainly due to enhanced air connectivity, targeted promotions, and relaxed visa norms. However, this new turn of events has cast a shadow over their growing appeal in the Indian outbound tourism market.
“Blood and bookings won’t flow together. We are suspending all flight and hotel bookings for Turkiye, China and Azerbaijan on ixigo in solidarity with our nation. Because when it comes to Bharat, we don’t think twice,” said Aloke Bajpai, MD & Group CEO, ixigo.
Similarly, MakeMyTrip has discontinued promotions and offers for Turkiye and Azerbaijan, advising users to avoid non-essential travel to the two countries.
Industry-wide solidarity
Trade associations across the board have demonstrated unanimity in expressing support for India’s armed forces. The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) joined the call for a boycott, urging Indian travellers to choose peace-promoting destinations instead.
“Tourism is a force for good and a driver of peace, global harmony and international understanding. The safety and integrity of our citizens has to be prioritized above all else,” said Dr Subhash Goyal, Chairman-Tourism Committee of ICC.
Awaiting diplomatic action
While the trade’s collective voice grows louder, the Government of India is yet to issue an official travel advisory. However, sources indicate that deliberations are underway, especially as public sentiment and digital campaigns like #BoycottTurkiyeAzerbaijan continue to trend across social media platforms.
Should such advisories be issued, the implications for outbound travel trends could be significant—both as a symbolic diplomatic gesture and as a consumer-led realignment of ethical tourism practices.
The message from India’s tourism industry is clear: National interest must supersede business interests, especially when faced with overt support to hostile regimes. The development is likely to cause a sharp drop in Indian leisure travel and a freeze in trade engagement from the world’s fastest-growing outbound travel market.
