New Delhi— Turkey is facing a sharp backlash from Indian travelers after expressing support for Pakistan amid recent tensions with India, prompting a wave of trip cancellations and forcing Turkish authorities into damage-control mode.
In an effort to stem the fallout, Turkey’s Department of Tourism has issued a public appeal urging Indian tourists to continue visiting the country, assuring them of safety, respect, and a warm welcome.
A widely circulated social media post attributed to the tourism authority emphasized that Indian visitors are “welcomed and treated with the utmost courtesy across Turkey—in hotels, restaurants, shops, and tourist sites—just as they have always been.” The statement distanced the Turkish population from political developments, saying most locals are “unaware” of the India-Pakistan conflict and that it has “no bearing on daily life or the tourism environment.”
It further claimed that all travel operations remain unaffected and that there are “no restrictions or safety issues impacting Indian guests,” while inviting concerned travelers to reach out directly for reassurance.
Despite these reassurances, public sentiment in India remains strongly opposed.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticized Turkey’s appeal in a scathing post on X (formerly Twitter): “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 posted simply: “No, thank you,” alongside hashtags such as #BoycottTurkey and #SayNoToTurkey.
Veteran journalist Vir Sanghvi was similarly blunt: “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.”
Business leader Harsh Goenka, Chairman of RPG Enterprises, pointed to the economic stakes. “Indians gave Rs 4,000 crore plus to Turkey & Azerbaijan last year through tourism. Created jobs. Boosted their economy, hotels, weddings, and flights. Today, both stand with Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack. Plenty of beautiful places in India & the world. Please skip these two places. Jai Hind,” he posted.
In response, major Indian travel companies like EaseMyTrip and Cox & Kings have suspended all packages to both Turkey and Azerbaijan, citing their alignment with Pakistan as the reason. (Source: IANS)
