New Delhi, May 20
In the wake of recent geopolitical developments that shifted Indian traveller sentiment dramatically, there has been a sharp 42 per cent decline in visa applications to Turkey and Azerbaijan, a report said on Tuesday.
As both countries publicly expressed support for Pakistan, Indian travellers responded swiftly.
Within just 36 hours, the number of users exiting the visa application process midway surged by 60 per cent, according to data provided by Atlys, a visa processing platform.
“The reaction wasn’t scattered; it was sharp and behavioural. People didn’t need to be told to avoid certain destinations. They simply moved on, guided by instinct, information, and access to alternatives. That’s what modern travel looks like,” said Mohak Nahta, Founder and CEO of Atlys.
In the same spirit, “we also paused all marketing efforts for Turkey and Azerbaijan, standing by India and in solidarity with national sentiment,” he added.
Travellers from metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai showed a 53 per cent drop in Turkey-bound applications, while interest from tier 2 cities such as Indore and Jaipur remained more resilient, falling by only 20 per cent.
There was also a shift in the kind of travellers rethinking their plans.
Group visa requests, including family trips, fell by nearly 49 per cent, while solo and couple applications declined more gradually at 27 per cent.