Talking of Turkey 'Roast' & Greek Salad

In the weeks following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 civilian lives, India's retaliation has had not just military and diplomatic ramifications, but also an unexpected consequence in the travel industry.

- RONNIE KURIAKOSE

Angered by the backing that Turkey and Azerbaijan issued for Pakistan, a growing number of Indian travellers are now boycotting these two countries.

News of Turkish drones being used against India incensed many. They pointed out that it was 'repayment' of India's Operation Dost mission to assist Turkey after it was rocked by a massive earthquake in 2023.

While travel shifts influenced by politics are not uncommon, the speed, scale, and visibility of this response—played out first as social media posts and then, as elaborate discussions in households, board rooms, coffee shops, and even newsrooms—was unexpected.

This reaction is, no doubt, inflamed by conversations on social media—from keyboard warriors to war veterans. Even some corporate bigwigs have joined the 'boycott' chorus.

One post that is making the rounds is of RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka. "Indians gave over ₹4,000 crore last year to Turkey and Azerbaijan through tourism... Today, both stand with Pakistan after Pahalgam. Plenty of beautiful places in India and the world. Please skip these two places," he wrote on social media.

While the numbers may invite some scrutiny, the sentiment certainly does not.

Several leading travel facilitators, too, echo the sentiment.

Ixigo, for example, announced that it was suspending flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China. "Because when it comes to Bharat, we don't think twice. Jai Hind," the travel booking company wrote on its official social media channels.

This was followed by Ixigo CEO Aloke Bajpai's post: "Enough is Enough! Blood and Bookings won't flow together."

Travel platform MakeMyTrip stated that 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."