New Delhi– Turkey is facing a sharp backlash from Indian travelers after openly siding with Pakistan during the recent conflict involving India. The fallout has led to widespread trip cancellations and prompted Turkish authorities to launch a damage-control campaign aimed at salvaging their image among Indian tourists.
In an effort to ease tensions, Turkey’s Department of Tourism issued a public statement appealing to Indian travelers to continue visiting the country. The statement assured visitors of their safety and emphasized the nation’s longstanding hospitality.
A widely shared message, reportedly from Turkey’s tourism authority, stressed that Indian tourists are “welcomed and treated with the utmost courtesy across Turkey—in hotels, restaurants, shops, and tourist sites—just as they always have been.”
Seeking to distance itself from the geopolitical controversy, the statement added, “The vast majority of the local population is unaware of the India-Pakistan conflict, and it has no bearing on daily life or the tourism experience in Turkey.”
It also assured that all travel operations remain unaffected, with “no restrictions or safety issues impacting Indian guests.” The tourism department further invited concerned travelers to reach out directly for clarification.
Despite these efforts, the response from India has been swift and sharply critical.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi posted a blunt rebuke on social media platform X: “No Turkiye, Indians won’t come spending money on tourism in a country that uses the same to arm Pakistan. Look for your tourists elsewhere, our money ain’t blood money.”
BJP Kerala state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar echoed the sentiment with a brief but pointed message: “No, thank you,” followed by hashtags #BoycottTurkey and #SayNoToTurkey.
Veteran journalist Vir Sanghvi added, “Frankly, we don’t give a damn whether Turkey is safe or whether you welcome tourists. You must be mad if you think we want to visit a country whose naked military support for Pakistan and drones have spilled the blood of Indians. Invite Pakistani tourists instead.”
Industrialist Harsh Goenka, chairman of RPG Enterprises, highlighted the economic implications of Indian tourism. “Indians contributed over ₹4,000 crore to Turkey and Azerbaijan last year through tourism. We created jobs and boosted their economy—hotels, weddings, flights. Now both nations stand with Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack. Plenty of beautiful places in India and elsewhere. Skip these two. Jai Hind,” he wrote.
In response to the public sentiment, major Indian travel agencies, including EaseMyTrip and Cox & Kings, have suspended all travel packages to Turkey and Azerbaijan, citing the countries’ alignment with Pakistan as the reason for their decision. (Source: IANS)
