Post-Operation Sindoor escalation disrupts Indians' travel plans

Air India, Malik's airline of choice, sent her a message saying her onward flight had been cancelled and her return flight on 8 May deferred.

Malik and her mother have now put their plans on hold, along with their hotel booking near the gurdwara, until the situation calms down.

The post-Operation Sindoor escalation in tensions with Pakistan has cast a shadow over Indians' summer travel plans, especially for those heading to northern India or travelling overseas for the holidays. 

Also Read: Nitin Pai: Operation Sindoor sets a new normal for India’s strategy

In the wake of flight cancellations, airport closures, and cross-border firing in areas along the Line of Control (LoC), tour and travel companies are flooded with deferment and last-minute cancellation requests.

Widespread disruption

Travel businesses are bracing for a slowdown over the next week, especially with 27 airports shut, Rajiv Mehra, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators and director of Uday Tours & Travel, a destination management company, told Mint. 

“The current geopolitical situation has caused a lot of uncertainty and will impact holiday and other travel for the next week at least across regions close to the border areas like the hills and Rajasthan, etc. There may not be any immediate impact on those travelling to the south of the country, though. As soon as the de-escalation begins, travellers will be back on with their plans," he said. 

Since many airports are shut and flights are disrupted, there are a high number of cancellations and rescheduling, especially in the cities where there is a high alert, said one online travel agency spokesperson on the condition of anonymity.

Bespoke resort and leisure hotel chain Brij Hotels, which has properties in tourism destinations like Rajasthan, Varanasi, and Dharamshala, is also preparing for a slowdown. 

“That said, there will be resilience in the economy, and the domestic traveller will come back. While short-term sentiment may be cautious, we remain optimistic about the medium- to long-term outlook for domestic tourism and experiential travel in India," said Anant Apurv Kumar, co-founder of Brij Hotels.

Also Read: Operation Sindoor: Tensions spark worry over kharif sowing in border states

“While we won't reduce costs just yet, we will offer some additional services in our packages to incentivise some travellers," he added.  

India recorded 2.51 billion domestic tourist visits in 2023, according to the ministry of tourism's latest available data.

Not just domestic travel

While some of those travelling internationally say their plans are on as per usual, some have chosen to wait it out. 

Radhika Khanijo, founder of Delhi-based luxury travel agency Welgrow Travels, said all her clients' plans for outbound travel have been put on hold as of now, as many travellers have expressed the need to be at home with family. The company will follow up with their clients in the next two weeks.

In 2023, according to the tourism ministry, 27 million Indians travelled abroad, of which almost a tenth or 25,84,231, flew out of India in May, which is typically the strongest month for travel. Typically, more than 25% of all Indian travellers plan to fly out of India during April-June. 

However, Subhash Goyal, chairperson of STIC Travel Group, said that, at present, all their clients' outbound travel plans are intact, and airlines will likely run at full capacity during the outbound tourist season.

Wait and watch

As for inbound travel—those scheduled to arrive in India—the conflict marks the end of the tourist season, with relatively few foreign leisure travellers currently in the country. 

It is currently a wait-and-watch situation, said Dipak Deva, managing director of Travel Corporation India Ltd, one of the largest inbound travel companies in India. 

Also Read: Operation Sindoor: What's next for Indian defence stocks?

“Whether this will impact the forward season from October onwards remains to be seen. But so far, those of our clients who are in India right now have not panicked, and we have provided them with alternative options like cars and trains from areas where airports have been shut down," he said. 

He added that some travellers have expressed the need to return from Jodhpur and other locations closer to the LoC. 

Foreign tourist arrivals reached 19.25 million in 2023, showed the tourism ministry data.