New Delhi: The US-Israeli war on Iran has disrupted key transit hubs in the Middle East, leaving thousands of Indian tourists under a cloud of uncertainty.
“There has been a decline in bookings to the Middle East, mainly due to safety concerns, airspace uncertainties, and possible travel disruptions,” said Alok K Singh, CEO of SNVA Travel Tech (Travomint). While he called it a behavioural pivot rather than a slowdown, he added that Europe has also taken a huge hit as many routes depend on Middle Eastern transit hubs.
“About 15-20 per cent of bookings to the Middle East and Europe have already been cancelled, and the rest have put their May plans on hold,” Ravi Gosin, President of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), told ThePrint.
Families are rerouting travel plans away from the cobbled streets of Europe and the sun lounges of the Middle East. They’re now eyeing destinations that were previously less popular.
“[About 1 million] tourists have shifted to Southeast Asia… The decline is 100 per cent in the Middle East, and Europe has also seen a 20-30 per cent drop,” said Subash Goyal, former IATO president.
On platforms such as Reddit and X, travellers are weighing safety against cancellation costs. One user who had planned a Switzerland-Dubai trip in early April wrote about being “very unsure of going”, adding that without insurance, they might simply lose their money. Another traveller, with a departure on 1 April looming, said they were waiting it out in the hope of a full refund, even as hotels offered free cancellations.
“Since this is a vacation and, fortunately, all of the hotels offer free cancellation, I am also planning to cancel the flight,” read the comment.
Drop in hotel rates
All that glitters in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is suddenly struggling to hold its shine.
Rooms at Mercure Abu Dhabi Downtown and TRYP by Wyndham Abu Dhabi are now going for roughly $50-$60 a night, while five-star properties such as Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi and The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi have seen rates dropping to about $200.
Dusit Thani Dubai, one of the city’s leading hotel chains, has started listing its rooms from $95, while rooms at Pullman Jumeirah Lakes Towers Hotel & Residence are listed at around $90.
But these incentives are not enough. Row after row of beach umbrellas remains folded shut, stretching across lines of empty sunbeds.
“No one will risk their life by saving their money,” Goyal said bluntly. “Give as much incentive as you want… the hotels are vacant there.”
The decline is significant, given that government data shows the United Arab Emirates was the top destination for Indians in 2024, with about 7.8 million visitors: 25.2 per cent of the total number. It was followed by Saudi Arabia, with 3.4 million travellers that year.
With major Middle Eastern carriers and transit hubs thrown into uncertainty, the traditional routes that connected India to Europe and the United States have become fragmented.
As per a Times of India report, Air India’s non-stop Delhi-London flight, once clocking in at around eight hours when key airspaces were open, now takes over 12 hours as carriers are forced to take longer, busier, circuitous routes.
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Vietnam is the new favourite
The sad reality is that the world has grown accustomed to the anxieties of war.
“In the past, we have observed that during region-specific disruptions, people don’t give up on their travel plans. Instead, they opt for alternate destinations—either domestic or unaffected international ones. We are seeing the same pattern hold true here,” a MakeMyTrip spokesperson said.
Indian travellers are now choosing destinations that offer stability and smooth connectivity.
“Southeast Asian countries and Indian Ocean destinations are seeing increased demand, along with a renewed interest in domestic travel,” Singh said.
According to the data shared by ixigo with ThePrint, Vietnam has emerged as the top international destination this month, with a 130 per cent year-on-year surge in bookings. Nepal ranks second with an 88 per cent rise, followed by Sri Lanka at 68 per cent. Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand are also seeing steady growth.
The change is facilitated by stable flight operations, manageable costs, and easy visa processes in several Southeast Asian countries and those in the Indian subcontinent.
“Even if the conflict stops and there is a ceasefire, we don’t think that travellers will forget everything immediately and act as if all is normal. This summer season has seen a major shift from the West to the East,” Nilesh Bhansali, president of the Travel Agents Association of Pune, told The Times of India.
Travel agencies are already recalibrating their approach. They are now nudging clients with higher budgets toward destinations such as Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. China is being positioned as an alternative to traditional European itineraries.
According to Goyal, parts of Africa, including Kenya and Ethiopia, are emerging on this radar, driven by growing interest in wildlife and experiential travel.
Things are changing back home, too. As per the data provided by ixigo, domestic leisure travel has seen a boost. Udaipur has seen a 69 per cent jump in bookings, followed by Jodhpur at 47 per cent, Bagdogra at 44 per cent, and Srinagar at 41 per cent. Goa, Jammu, and Dehradun are also recording steady growth.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)