Russia, Germany, S’pore replace Turkiye, Azerbaijan in int’l itinerary
Times of India | 15 May 2025
123456 Kolkata: Hostilities between India and Pakistan may have subsided, but outrage over support from Turkiye and Azerbaijan for the ‘enemy' has led to the cancellation of bookings to these countries from Kolkata.Travel agents and tour operators who have decided not to promote these two countries are instead offering alternative destinations at the same price during the Durga Puja holidays in Sept-Oct."Around 2,000 people used to travel to Turkiye from India daily, of which around 10% or around 200 were from Kolkata. That figure has dropped to 40-50 following the India-Pakistan conflict. In case of Azerbaijan, around 450 people used to travel to the country from India daily. Of this, around 45-50 would be from Kolkata. That figure has slumped to five-six," said Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) chairman (East) Anjani Dhanuka.On May 9, members of TAAI, as well as agents belonging to the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), decided to boycott Turkiye and Azerbaijan. Since then, travel agents said they have hardly any clients wanting to travel to the two countries.According to Ease My Trip, there have been 22% cancellations to Turkey and more than 30% cancellations in Azerbaijan over the last six days. A Make My Trip spokesperson said over the past week, bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey decreased by 60%, while cancellations surged by 250% during the same period.For those who were considering either of the two countries, travel agents are suggesting other holiday destinations within the same budget. Instead of Turkiye, where a 6-7-day holiday would have cost Rs 3-4 lakh for a couple, travel agents are promoting Russia, Czech Republic, Hungary, or Germany. And instead of Azerbaijan, where a 4-day holiday for a couple costs Rs 2 lakh, travel agents are offering Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Bali, or Dubai."Like domestic bookings that have taken a hit following the war, even international bookings have been impacted. Against last year, bookings for the Durga Puja season are down by half. But we are confident that as sentiment improves, bookings will pick up," said TAFI national committee member Anil Punjabi.Cox & Kings director Karan Agarwal said most travellers were willing to pivot rather than pause, choosing alternate destinations over giving up on travel altogether. "While exercising caution, they remain enthusiastic about exploring new places, as long as they feel confident and supported throughout their journey," he said. Aroon Sahani from Tangra has changed his travel plan from Kashmir to Bali and is still sticking to the changed itinerary. He will be leaving the city with a group of 15 this Saturday.Kolkata: Hostilities between India and Pakistan may have subsided, but outrage over support from Turkiye and Azerbaijan for the ‘enemy' has led to the cancellation of bookings to these countries from Kolkata. Travel agents and tour operators who have decided not to promote these two countries are instead offering alternative destinations at the same price during the Durga Puja holidays in Sept-Oct."Around 2,000 people used to travel to Turkiye from India daily, of which around 10% or around 200 were from Kolkata. That figure has dropped to 40-50 following the India-Pakistan conflict. In case of Azerbaijan, around 450 people used to travel to the country from India daily. Of this, around 45-50 would be from Kolkata. That figure has slumped to five-six," said Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) chairman (East) Anjani Dhanuka.On May 9, members of TAAI, as well as agents belonging to the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), decided to boycott Turkiye and Azerbaijan. Since then, travel agents said they have hardly any clients wanting to travel to the two countries.According to Ease My Trip, there have been 22% cancellations to Turkey and more than 30% cancellations in Azerbaijan over the last six days. A Make My Trip spokesperson said over the past week, bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey decreased by 60%, while cancellations surged by 250% during the same period.For those who were considering either of the two countries, travel agents are suggesting other holiday destinations within the same budget. Instead of Turkiye, where a 6-7-day holiday would have cost Rs 3-4 lakh for a couple, travel agents are promoting Russia, Czech Republic, Hungary, or Germany. And instead of Azerbaijan, where a 4-day holiday for a couple costs Rs 2 lakh, travel agents are offering Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Bali, or Dubai."Like domestic bookings that have taken a hit following the war, even international bookings have been impacted. Against last year, bookings for the Durga Puja season are down by half. But we are confident that as sentiment improves, bookings will pick up," said TAFI national committee member Anil Punjabi.Cox & Kings director Karan Agarwal said most travellers were willing to pivot rather than pause, choosing alternate destinations over giving up on travel altogether. "While exercising caution, they remain enthusiastic about exploring new places, as long as they feel confident and supported throughout their journey," he said. Aroon Sahani from Tangra has changed his travel plan from Kashmir to Bali and is still sticking to the changed itinerary. He will be leaving the city with a group of 15 this Saturday.