After boycott Turkey, Azerbaijan trends, 15,000 bookings cancelled from…, MakeMyTrip urges people to…

Indians are boycotting Turkey and Azerbaijan after their support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, a military response by India to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Over 15,000 bookings from Uttar Pradesh to Turkey and Azerbaijan have been canceled and travel agencies and airlines offering full refunds to customers.

Dr Ajay Singh, National Convenor of the Tourist Guide Federation of India and Chairperson of the Varanasi Tourism Organisation, expressed that during Operation Sindoor, India saw unprecedented national unity, with people from all backgrounds standing together in patriotism.

However, Turkey and Azerbaijan’s support for Pakistan during this critical time has angered the Indian public, prompting travellers to cancel their tours to these nations.

Ajay Singh explained that the cancellations primarily affect outbound tourism to Turkey and Azerbaijan, with two-thirds of bookings now cancelled.

Around 15,000 cancellations have been reported in the Purvanchal region, which includes cities like Varanasi, Azamgarh, Mau, and others. Leading travel agencies and airlines are supporting the boycott by offering full refunds for cancelled trips.

Indian Airlines has confirmed it will provide 100 per cent refunds for those cancelling their trips to these countries, demonstrating strong support for the national sentiment.

MakeMyTrip On Tour To Turkey, Azerbaijan 

MakeMyTrip has urged people to avoid non-essential travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey over the two countries’ support to Pakistan despite the Pahalgam terror attack and Islamabad’s aggression against India, which was effectively countered by the Indian Armed Forces.

“Indian travellers have expressed strong sentiments over the past one week, with bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey decreasing by 60 per cent while cancellations have surged by 250 per cent during the same period, a MakeMyTrip spokesperson said.

EaseMyTrip Founder and Chairman Nishant Pitti has urged people not to use travel “to empower those who don’t stand with us”, he added, “Travel is a powerful tool. Let’s not use it to empower those who don’t stand with us. Last year: * 287,000 Indians visited Turkey & * 243,000 visited Azerbaijan Tourism drives their economies: * Turkey: 12% of GDP | 10% of jobs * Azerbaijan: 7.6% of GDP | 10% of jobs.” 

“When these nations openly support Pakistan, should we fuel their tourism and their economies? Every rupee we spend abroad is a vote. Let’s spend it where our values are respected. Jai Hind,” he added.

(With Inputs From ANI)

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