TURKEY 'ROASTS' AND GREEK SALADS

TMS spotlights the sudden buzz over Greece and Armenia as travel destinations following the widespread call for boycott of Turkey and Azerbaijan across India

- RONNIE KURIAKOSE

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.

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

Further, when news arrived that Turkish drones were used against India, many questioned whether this was indeed 'repayment' for 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 and scale of this response 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 by RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka. "Indians gave over 4,000 crore last year to Turkey and Azerbaijan through tourism... Today, both stand with Pakistan... 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 social media.

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%, while cancellations have surged by 250% during this period".