The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC, by its acronym in English) warns that the war in the Middle East could thwart the realization of up to 135 million international trips in 2026, of which 116 million would correspond to displacements with origin or destination outside said region.
The organization emphasizes that the potential impact reaches that magnitude because several airports in the Middle East operate as major 'hubs' for connection between continents and, furthermore, the area concentrates around 14% of global air traffic.
The main air hubs of the region, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain, which together manage around 526,000 daily passengers, have suffered temporary closures and alterations in their operations as the war situation worsens, notably affecting both regional and global connectivity.
Another relevant effect is linked to the rising cost of aviation fuel. Approximately 30% of an airline's costs come from fuel and, in recent weeks, its price has skyrocketed by up to 100%, according to data handled by the industry.
This combination of fuel price increase and reduction of available seats is resulting in an increase in airfares, with an especially intense pressure on low-cost companies, more sensitive to any variation in their operating costs.
Furthermore, the WTTC focuses on the impact of travel alerts issued by different governments. When a country issues this type of warnings, insurers stop offering coverage to tourists, "which discourages travel."
Even so, and despite all these adverse factors, the president and CEO of the WTTC, Gloria Guevara, recalls that the tourism and travel industry is "the most resilient of all" and that historical experience proves that "it can recover quickly."