Amid requires boycotting journey to Turkey and Azerbaijan, flight bookings to those two nations have dropped by 60 per cent within the final one week and cancellations surged to 250 per cent, MakeMyTrip stated on Wednesday.
The 2 international locations had brazenly supported Pakistan after India launched air strikes beneath Operation Sindoor on 9 terror websites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Following this, Indians launched a marketing campaign on social media to boycott journey to Türkiye and Azerbaijan.
“Indian travellers have expressed sturdy sentiments over the previous one week, with bookings for Azerbaijan and Türkiye lowering by 60 per cent, whereas cancellations have surged by 250 per cent throughout the identical interval,” a MakeMyTrip spokesperson stated.
“In solidarity with our nation and out of deep respect for our armed forces, we strongly help this sentiment and advise all in opposition to all non-essential journey to Azerbaijan and Türkiye,” the spokesperson stated, including that the corporate has already discontinued all promotions and affords on its platform to discourage tourism to those two locations.
Indian armed forces had performed Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam terror assault by which 26 civilians, largely vacationers, have been killed.
In the course of the India-Pakistan battle, Istanbul had expressed its solidarity with Islamabad and supported its proposal for a world investigation into the Pahalgam terror assault. Turkey had additionally equipped army weapons to Pakistan.
Azerbaijan, in its assertion on India-Pakistan tensions, has echoed the Pakistani line.
EaseMyTrip boycotts Turkey, Azerbaijan
Echoing the decision for boycotting Turkey and Azerbaijan, EaseMyTrip co-founder Prashant Pitti on Wednesday stated the nationwide curiosity comes first and the enterprise curiosity later.
“As an organization, EaseMyTrip, we at all times consider the nation first and enterprise later,” Prashant Pitti advised ANI.
“Within the occasions that are occurring proper now, the place there may be an ongoing battle between India and Pakistan, though there’s a ceasefire, the ceasefire can be getting violated. We’re seeing international locations like Azerbaijan and Turkey standing on the unsuitable facet of historical past. Pakistan is clearly caught on the funeral of UN-designated terrorists,” he added.
Pitti additionally stated that for the reason that boycott Turkey and Azerbaijan marketing campaign gathered steam, 22 per cent of individuals have cancelled their bookings to Turkey, and one other 30 per cent have cancelled their flights to Azerbaijan.
In early 2024, EaseMyTrip had cancelled bookings for the Maldives after India’s ties with the archipelago soured following some derogatory remarks by Maldivian officers in opposition to India and its management.
