A month ago, if you asked a travel expert to suggest international destinations, two countries would almost certainly have made it to the top five. Azerbaijan, if you were travelling on a budget; and Turkey, if you had a bit more to splurge.
But things have taken a sharp turn in the past few weeks, ever since the Pahalgam terror attack and the following India-Pakistan conflict. During this period, both Azerbaijan and Turkey made it clear where their loyalties were - with Pakistan.
This, understandably, didn't sit well with Indian travellers, who are among the main reasons behind the growing popularity of these countries as a tourist destination. Since the India-Pakistan conflict, a large number of Indians have responded by cancelling trips in masses to both destinations.
On Wednesday, RPG Enterprises Chairman Harsh Goenka also urged Indians to steer clear of these two countries.
"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 in a post on the social media platform, X.
The hashtags #BoycottTurkey and #BoycottAzerbaijan quickly gained traction. In solidarity, several Indian travel platforms took strict action, further reinforcing the call to avoid these countries.
So, What Are The Numbers Saying?
- MakeMyTrip reported a 60 per cent drop in bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan in just a week, with cancellations jumping by 250 per cent. The company has since pulled all promotions related to these destinations.
A pop-up appears when you visit the MMT site.
Photo Credit: MakeMyTrip
- EaseMyTrip saw 22 per cent cancellations for Turkey and over 30 per cent for Azerbaijan. They've also suspended all flight and hotel bookings to both countries, advising travellers to reconsider unless travel is essential.
- Their CEO pointed out that in 2024 alone, Turkey welcomed 2.74 lakh Indian tourists (a 20.7 per cent increase from the previous year), while Azerbaijan received 2,43,589 Indian visitors - making India its third-largest tourist source. That momentum has now taken a serious hit.
- Ixigo, too, halted all bookings to Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China. The CEO summed it up succinctly: "Enough is enough! Blood and bookings won't flow together."
Farhan, Director Sales at Indian travel agency DMC Wale, tells the media, "This was Turkey season in the Indian market. We had very good bookings - over 200 for May, June and July. Of these, 80 per cent have been cancelled. We've made a conscious decision not to promote countries that don't stand with us. There's been no directive from the government; this is entirely our call. We used to average 70-80 bookings per month - now we have zero. Just cancellations..."
Travel agents sell Azerbaijan packages for a couple for Rs 2,00,000 for four days (excluding flights in most cases).
For Turkey, a seven-day trip can cost Rs 4,00,000 for a couple (excluding flights and visa in most cases).
How Much Money Do Indians Actually Spend In Turkey and Azerbaijan?
To understand the financial impact, we looked at how much Indian tourists have spent in recent years. Travel saw a sharp rise since the pandemic; so, we've taken 2019 as our starting point.
Starting with the more budget-friendly Azerbaijan:
According to the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, an Indian passport holder spends between Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,30,000 per trip. That includes stay, meals, transport and sightseeing.
Here's the breakdown:
Stay: A three-star hotel in Baku ranges from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per night; for a five-star hotel, that rate goes up to Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 a night.
Meals: Budget meals range from Rs 500 to Rs 1,500 per day. Mid-range dining comes in at around Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 daily.
Local transport: Public transport in Baku costs between Rs 30 to Rs 100 per ride. Taxis cost roughly Rs 300 to Rs 800 per trip. Daily transport: Rs 300 to Rs 1,000.
Azerbaijan offers a mix of modern architecture, ancient history, and stunning landscapes. Photo: Unsplash
Sightseeing: Entry to major sites like the Maiden Tower or Gobustan National Park costs Rs 200 to Rs 1,000. Daily sightseeing costs: Rs 500 to Rs 1,500.
(Visa: A regular tourist visa costs Rs 3,200. An express visa comes for Rs 6,700.)
An Indian tourist spends an average of Rs 10,000 per day in Azerbaijan. This amount, of course, does not include flights or stay or visa. Back in 2019, this figure was lower, but spending has risen significantly since then.
Estimated average daily spending in Azerbaijan (over the years):
Now, on to Turkey.
An average Indian tourist spends around Rs 1,30,000 on a 7-day trip (excluding flights and visa). This figure has gone up recently, in part due to a hike in visa costs.
(With flights, the trip can cost somewhere around Rs 2,00,000. Add to that a single-entry visa worth Rs 17,700.)
Here's a quick cost breakdown:
Stay: A three-star hotel in the Istanbul city centre costs about Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 a night. For a five-star hotel, expect to shell out above Rs 25,000 a night.
Meals: Expect to spend Rs 900 to Rs 2,100 per day. That's assuming three meals at local spots, with meals ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 700.
Transport: Public transport costs Rs 40 to Rs 80 per ride. A four-kilometre ride can cost anywhere between Rs 250 and Rs 300 or above.
Sightseeing: Entrance to attractions like Hagia Sophia or Topkapi Palace costs Rs 800 to Rs 1,500. Hot air balloon rides in Cappadocia cost Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000.
Turkey is known for its history and culture and such scenic views. Photo: Unsplash
(Visa: A single-entry tourist visa for 3 months costs Rs 17,700 - double the price of a Schengen visa.)
Average daily spending in Turkey (over the years):
How Much These Countries Made Off Indian Travellers In 2024
- Azerbaijan: With 2,43,589 Indian tourists in 2024, and an average spend of Rs 1,10,000 per person, the country earned roughly Rs 26,794,790,000 - that's Rs 26.8 billion.
- Turkey: With 3,30,000 Indian visitors in 2024 and an average spend of Rs 1,30,000, Turkey earned somewhere around Rs 42.9 billion.
- ...and these costs don't include flights!
Whew.
That's enough math for one day.
So, Why Did Turkey and Azerbaijan Become So Popular Among Indians?
You weren't imagining it if your feed was suddenly filled with Reels showing off picturesque views of Turkey's hot-air balloons or Azerbaijan's Flame Towers.
The popularity surge was due to a few major reasons:
- Social media buzz, of course. Reels, travel vlogs, and influencer campaigns helped.
- Improved air connectivity with direct flights from Indian metros like Delhi and Mumbai.
- Aggressive marketing, not just by tourism boards and influencers, but Bollywood too.
- Films like Ek Tha Tiger were among the first to spotlight Turkey on the big screen. Since then, several films have been shot in the country... so much so, that the Federation of Western India Cine Employees urged Bollywood producers to stop shooting in Turkey given the India-Pakistan ties at the moment.
- Easy access to e-visas have also increased in popularity.
Since then, both countries have become hotspots for Indian weddings, luxury holidays, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) events.
But as things stand, the trend seems to be taking a nosedive.