Geopolitics Reshape Travel: Indian Visa Requests to Turkey, Azerbaijan Drop Sharply by 42%

Indian tourist applications to Turkey and Azerbaijan have plummeted by 42%, according to visa processing platform Atlys. This steep drop comes in the wake of the public support both countries gave Pakistan after India's recent Operation Sindoor, which resulted in an instantaneous and drastic reaction from Indian tourists. Within 36 hours, 60% of users terminated ongoing visa applications, reflecting a decisive shift in tourist activity.

 

Metro cities of Delhi and Mumbai saw a 53% fall in visa demand for Turkey, while tier-II cities of Indore and Jaipur saw a lower 20% fall. Family and group visa requests dropped nearly 49%, while solo and couple fell by 27%. Younger travelers aged 25-34 led the exodus trend, with females much more likely to switch to other markets like Vietnam and Thailand.

 

With Turkey and Azerbaijan going out of flavour, Southeast Asian countries and Egypt are seeing an up to 31% increase in visa applications, highlighting a rapid turnaround in Indian travel sentiment driven by geopolitical developments.

 

Source: Hindustan Times, NDTV, Business Standard