economy
March 14, 2026
War prompts Europeans to switch holidays away from eastern Mediterranean
Summer holidaymakers opting for ‘more familiar, easy-to-reach locations’ as travel industry counts cost of Middle East conflict
TL;DR
- Travelers are shifting summer holidays from the eastern Mediterranean to western Europe and the Caribbean due to the US-Israel war on Iran.
- Demand for holidays in Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Cape Verde has risen, with customers preferring 'familiar, easy-to-reach locations'.
- Flight prices have increased significantly due to limited availability, with some economy seats rising by £1,000.
- Online travel agent On the Beach suspended its profit guidance due to the 'unknown' duration and outcome of the war, reporting a 'significant slowdown' in bookings to Turkey, Cyprus, and Egypt.
- Shares in travel companies like easyJet and Jet2 have fallen since the conflict began.
- The Middle East's tourism industry is estimated to be losing $600m per day.
- The conflict has affected tourist sites and hotels in the Middle East, including an attack on the Fairmont hotel in Dubai and debris from a drone causing a fire at the Burj Al Arab.
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