New Delhi: The impact of the growing diplomatic fallout over “Operation Sindoor” is beginning to show on the ground — and in Turkey’s tourism numbers. According to official Turkish data, Indian tourist arrivals dropped by a significant 24% this May, compared to the same month last year.
Last May, Turkey welcomed 41,554 Indian tourists. This year, that number has fallen to just 31,659 — a sharp drop during what is traditionally peak travel season for Indian vacationers. Industry experts and officials attribute this decline directly to widespread calls in India to boycott Turkey following revelations of Ankara’s military support to Pakistan during the operation.
The controversy erupted on May 9 when Indian authorities confirmed that Turkish-made SONGAR ASISGUARD armed drones were used in a cross-border attack by Pakistan. The wreckage of the drones, recovered on Indian soil, provided clear evidence of Turkish involvement. These are the same combat drones currently in service with Turkey’s own military forces.
In response, Indian travel platforms including MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, and Cleartrip announced they would stop promoting tourism packages to Turkey. The decision appears to be having an effect.
“Tourist bookings are made weeks or even months in advance, so the full extent of the boycott is likely to be reflected more strongly in the June and July figures,” a senior government official told News18. “The sharp May decline is already a signal.”
May and June typically see a surge in Indian outbound travel, especially to European and Middle Eastern destinations. Last year, Turkey saw 31,934 Indian visitors in April, which jumped to 41,554 in May and remained strong at 38,307 in June. In stark contrast, this year’s May figure of 31,659 barely rose from April’s 30,169 — suggesting a stagnation rather than a seasonal upswing.
If current trends continue, tourism officials expect June 2025 to show an even steeper decline.
Adding to the tensions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a symbolic stopover in Cyprus en route to the G7 Summit in Canada — a visit interpreted as a diplomatic snub to Ankara. Cyprus and Turkey have long-standing territorial disputes, with northern Cyprus remaining under Turkish occupation since 1974.
During his visit, Modi and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides toured Nicosia’s UN-controlled buffer zone — a powerful message underscoring India’s displeasure with Turkey’s growing strategic alignment with Pakistan.
Further fanning the flames, Indian intelligence strongly suspects that Turkey directly supplied drones to Pakistan in late April, just days after the Pahalgam terror attack. A Turkish C-130E Hercules aircraft reportedly landed in Karachi on April 28. On April 30, a high-level Turkish military delegation, led by Lt. Gen. Yasar Kadioglu, visited the Pakistan Air Force headquarters for meetings with top officials — including the Chief of Air Staff.
Adding to concerns, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has taken a decidedly pro-Pakistan stance following the Pahalgam strike. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir even traveled to Ankara to thank Turkey for its support during the Operation Sindoor standoff.
While diplomatic and security tensions escalate, Turkey’s tourism industry — heavily reliant on Indian visitors — appears to be suffering the economic consequences.
The Indian travel boycott is a rare instance where consumer sentiment, driven by national security concerns, has tangibly influenced international travel patterns. With over 250,000 Indian tourists visiting Turkey annually in pre-pandemic years, the current freeze could cost the Turkish economy millions in lost revenue.
Travel industry insiders are already warning of cancelled tours, postponed honeymoons, and diverted travel itineraries. “There’s a clear preference emerging for alternate European destinations like Greece, Italy, and Switzerland,” said one senior travel executive.
As geopolitical friction continues to reshape people-to-people ties, June’s tourism data from Turkey could deliver the next headline in this evolving standoff — and offer a clearer picture of whether the Indian boycott has truly taken hold.
