Shifting Travel Trends: India's Quick Pivot from Turkiye and Azerbaijan

Visa applications to Turkiye and Azerbaijan have plummeted by 42%, according to Atlys, following the countries' backing of Pakistan after India's Operation Sindoor. Indian travelers, particularly from metro areas like Delhi and Mumbai, have responded by reducing applications, whereas travelers from tier II cities showed more resilience.

In just 36 hours, Atlys observed that 60% of users abandoned their visa applications. The decline in interest was more significant among planned group trips, with a 49% drop, while solo travelers showed a lesser decline of 27%. Younger travelers were especially quick to reroute their travel plans.

As a result, Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam and Thailand have seen increased popularity among former Turkiye and Azerbaijan-bound travelers. Atlys founder, Mohak Nahta, highlighted this trend as reflecting the adaptability and emotional intelligence of modern travelers, who are quick to seek politically neutral and affordable alternatives.

(With inputs from agencies.)