Indian Traders Demand Travel Boycott Against Turkey and Azerbaijan
- Boycott Call to Turkey, Azerbaijan
- Indian Traders Demand Travel Ban
- Impact of Travel Boycott on Tourism
In a firm diplomatic and economic statement, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has urged Indian citizens and traders to boycott visiting Turkey and Azerbaijan in protest of the nations' seeming support for Pakistan. The top traders' organization stated the action is part of a larger effort to use economic instruments to counter foreign policy positions that are perceived as unfriendly to India.
Turkey, which received about 300,000 Indian travelers in 2024 a 20.7% increase from last year received an estimated $291.6 million from Indians alone. With each Indian tourist spending about $972, CAIT opines a full-scale travel boycott could heavily hurt Turkey's thriving tourism economy, which collected $61.1 billion in total income last year.
Azerbaijan, which welcomed approximately 2.6 million tourists in 2024, had around 250,000 Indians among them. With every Indian tourist spending an average of 2,170 Azerbaijani Manat (approximately $1,276), the contribution from Indian tourists was approximately $308.6 million. CAIT cautioned that pulling out this huge slice of tourism money would devastate sectors relying on Indian expenditure especially leisure, weddings, entertainment, and adventure tourism.
CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal highlighted the organisation's determination, citing its persistent and effective countrywide boycott of Chinese products. He pointed out that a similar campaign against Turkey and Azerbaijan would involve coordination with travel agencies, tour operators, and other major stakeholders to stop booking for travel.
Khandelwal further said that apart from tourism, cancellation of Indian weddings, corporate functions, and cultural events in these nations would cause additional indirect economic harm. "If Indian tourists pull out their presence, both nations are likely to feel the pinch on their tourism-based economies", he said.
Reports also show that thousands of Indians have already cancelled their travel bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan, and a few booking sites and tour operators have already shut down reservations for these countries.
Reacting, the Ankara Department of Tourism released a statement calling Indians to keep coming as the local people are very much detached from geopolitical concerns and that tourism is unaffected on the ground.
But CAIT argues that economic pressure is a valid and potent means of affecting international relations and that the boycott can force Turkey and Azerbaijan to revise their diplomatic stands vis-a-vis India.
