Blood and bookings won’t flow together: Ixigo’s Aloke Bajpai

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, with tensions between India and Pakistan running high, major Indian travel companies including EaseMyTrip, Ixigo, and Cox & Kings have suspended all tour packages to Turkey and Azerbaijan.This decision follows concerns over the apparent diplomatic leanings of these countries towards Pakistan amid the ongoing conflict.

Online travel agency Ixigo’s managing director and group CEO, Aloke Bajpai, confirmed that the company would be halting all bookings – both flights and accommodations – to Turkey, China, and Azerbaijan.

Bajpai made the announcement on X, stating, “Enough is enough! Blood and bookings won’t flow together,” echoing a sentiment once expressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 regarding the Indus Water Treaty.

EaseMyTrip also released a travel advisory, urging Indian travellers to exercise caution and to consider visiting Turkey and Azerbaijan only if “absolutely necessary.”

Company chairman and cofounder Nishant Pitti elaborated on the rationale behind the decision, saying, “Travel is a powerful tool. Let’s not use it to empower those who don’t stand with us.”

Highlighting the economic impact, Pitti shared that last year, 2,87,000 Indian tourists travelled to Turkey and 2,43,000 visited Azerbaijan. He pointed out that tourism accounts for 10% of jobs in both countries, 12% of Turkey’s GDP, and 7.6% of Azerbaijan’s GDP.“Every rupee we spend abroad is a vote. Let’s spend it where our values are respected,” he added.

In line with this sentiment, Cox & Kings also declared a temporary pause on all upcoming trips to Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.

The company explained, “Even though respect and understanding of the world remain at the heart of everything we do, while the nation waits, so will some of our journeys.”