Tour operators remain upbeat about the long term prospects
Yet another Middle East war is taking its toll on the region’s travel trade but two tour operators that send people to the likes of Egypt and Jordan say they’re confident of a rebound from a conflict that has curtailed tour operator itineraries and disrupted area air travel and cruises.
The war between Iran and the United States and Israel is in its third week and has led to numerous countries being targeted, forcing the cancellation of tours to both countries that have actually seen missile and drone attacks, and others that haven’t but are close enough to the fighting to raise concerns. This conflict follows the Israel-Gaza war, which also proved damaging for area tourism.
Among tour operators that have had to suspend some programs in recent weeks is Intrepid Travel but Leigh Barnes, the company’s president of the Americas, says it’s now planning to restart its Egypt program on April 1.
Egypt hasn’t seen any fighting. Intrepid customers who are unable to reach their Egypt departures due to flight cancellations caused by Middle East airspace closures will receive a 100% credit for their trip (land components). Jordan and Oman itineraries have been cancelled until April 15 because of current travel advisories and conditions on the ground. Again, neither of those countries has been attacked.
Intrepid is offering the following options to customers with cancelled trips:
- Rebook to another destination
- Receive a 100% credit to the value of the trip (land components only)
- Request a refund, less 20% unrecoverable costs
- Customers under package regulations in the EMEA region will be entitled to a full refund
“Egypt and Jordan have seen the most immediate impact on Intrepid bookings,” Barnes told Travel Courier on March 17, adding 161 U.S. travellers have cancelled their bookings as of Wednesday, with most departures originally scheduled for the spring season from March through May. Jordan has seen a similar pattern, with increased cancellations and some hesitation from travellers,” he shared.
Barnes reported that travel to Türkiye has also been significantly affected.
“In the first few days of March alone, North American cancellations nearly matched the total cancellations for all of March 2025 in the country. We have also received a number of direct inquiries from travellers, primarily related to logistical challenges, particularly difficulties reaching the destination due to airport closures in Dubai, as well as questions around cancellations,” he noted. “Morocco, however, has remained largely unaffected so far. We have seen minimal cancellations, and bookings are actually up year over year heading into March. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow all relevant government advice and travel advisories. As long as conditions remain safe and stable, we plan to move forward with restarting our tours as scheduled.”
Barnes said that before the Iran war, North American bookings across the Middle East were up year over year from January through March. Egypt led growth, and several destinations across the region were seeing notable increases, among them Jordan and Türkiye, signalling strong overall demand heading into the spring travel season. But Barnes insisted interest in the region remains strong and tourists will return when things settle down.
“Periods of uncertainty can impact traveler’s confidence in the short term, but we typically see demand return as conditions stabilize, and people feel comfortable travelling again,” he continued. “The Middle East has so much to offer, from incredible culture and food to genuinely warm and welcoming communities. Many of these communities rely heavily on tourism, and that connection is incredibly important. Our role is to continue supporting those destinations while giving travellers the opportunity to experience them in a meaningful and responsible way.”
Sally Mikhail of GMTours also acknowledged the Iran war is taking a toll on tourism.
“The war has led to higher prices, disrupted routes, and a noticeable slowdown in bookings, especially for travel touching the Middle East or routes that rely on that,” she said.
But Mikhail added many Middle East destinations are on Canadians’ bucket lists.
“The Middle East was selling extremely well before the war,” she continued. “Several factors were driving this momentum in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, including new resorts, cultural attractions, and mega‑projects. Strong air‑hub performance from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, which had become essential connectors between Europe, Asia, and Africa. The new GEM Museum in Egypt attracts more travelers to visit this beautiful country again.
“This combination meant that demand was not only healthy — it was accelerating.”
Mikhail said this latest war won’t cause people to lose confidence in the Middle East, noting there are tensions in many parts of the world, and international tourism has survived the likes of the Sept. 11 attacks and SARS.
“It’ll bounce back once the situation has settled down,” she stated.
