As attention turns to Switzerland, where an agreement between the United States and Iran is expected to be signed on Friday, travel experts say the Middle East tourism market could recover quickly once the war ends. Dubai, which has seen a sharp drop in visitor demand since the conflict began, is widely seen as the biggest tourism winner from the change.
Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, told the Daily Mail that he has expected a fast rebound from the start. He said he is sure that once the deal is signed in Switzerland, airlines and hotels will launch a wave of marketing offers to bring visitors back. He also predicted “amazing deals” as carriers restore most of their full flight schedules.
Captain Emma Henderson, a pilot and aviation expert, said the development is good news for the airline and tourism industries and that Dubai and the wider region will want to reopen to tourists as quickly as possible. She said that once restrictions are lifted, she expects people to line up to return, although not immediately.
The article recalls that at the start of the war many tourists were stranded in Dubai after the city became a target for drone attacks. Visitors posted videos of drones and debris hitting luxury hotels. Dubai International Airport was temporarily closed, thousands of flights were grounded, and some authorities still advise against nonessential travel to the United Arab Emirates.
Insurance expert Sarah Rodriguez of Avanti Travel Insurance warned that as long as restrictions remain in place, travelers may not be covered by their travel insurance, and she urged people to wait for updates before booking. Tim Riley, chief executive of True Traveller and chair of the UK Travel Insurance Association, said a signed agreement that holds could change the situation in the UAE and across the broader Middle East. On prices, Henderson said oil has already fallen, but the bigger issue is supply, including how long refineries need to resume processing and how much damage was done to facilities and oil wells. Riley said consumers should not expect prices to fall as quickly as they rose in March, though by autumn much of the economic disruption may be behind them.
