<p>Bengaluru: It has been over four weeks since tensions involving the US, Israel, and Iran engulfed West Asia, triggering uncertainty across the global economy, particularly in oil and gas. Alongside this, disruption of regional airspace and critical infrastructure, including airports and key tourism hubs such as Dubai, have dented travel to and through the region. Given the centrality of West Asian hubs in global transit networks, these developments are beginning to reshape travel patterns worldwide, even as demand for holidays remains resilient.</p>.<p>Despite intermittent airspace disruptions, Dubai continues to be a key global hub. However, uncertainty has slowed fresh bookings. “There has been a major reduction in new bookings, down 20-25% after airspace closures became uncertain,” says Ravi Gosain, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), noting that Dubai still retains its appeal as a leading leisure destination.</p>.<p>Travellers are not cancelling outright, but postponing plans. Experts view this as a short-term shift rather than structural decline. EaseMyTrip CEO and Co-Founder Rikant Pittie says the sentiment has been impacted, with travellers adopting a wait-and-watch approach. “Demand is more cautious and decision cycles have lengthened, driven by evolving visibility rather than any structural change in travel intent,” he explains.</p>.<p><strong>Far away from the conflict</strong></p>.<p>Even as uncertainty persists, the appetite for travel remains strong. Indian travellers are increasingly turning to destinations far away from the conflict zone. Safety, ease of access, connectivity, visa simplicity, and reliability are now taking precedence over price. A MakeMyTrip spokesperson notes that travellers typically adapt rather than cancel, choosing alternate domestic or international destinations instead.</p>.<p>This shift is already visible. Searches and bookings for East and Southeast Asian destinations such as Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka have risen. “Short-haul destinations like Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Bali have seen 15-20% growth in bookings due to affordability and direct connectivity,” says Gosain, adding that Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are also gaining traction.</p>.<p>India’s outbound tourism continues to expand rapidly, with around 3-4 crore Indians travelling abroad annually. Leisure remains the largest segment, accounting for roughly 43.5% of travellers, while total overseas spending is estimated at $30-32 billion. Popular destinations include the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, the US, Singapore, and the UK, with the top-10 destinations accounting for nearly 70% of outbound travel. The sector is projected to cross 50 million outbound travellers by 2030.</p>.<p>While West Asia faces operational volatility, the aviation sector is adapting. Airlines are rerouting via Central Asia, the Caucasus, or Africa to avoid conflict zones. “This has led to a redistribution of travel flows rather than a contraction,” says Pattie, adding that hubs such as Singapore and Delhi are emerging as critical bridge points.</p>.<p>Travel platform ixigo is also witnessing a shift in preferences. Vietnam has seen a 130% year-on-year rise in bookings, followed by Nepal (88%), Sri Lanka (68%), Indonesia (33%), Singapore (32%), and Thailand (22%). “Travellers are opting for more accessible and stable destinations,” says Aloke Bajpai, Co-founder and Group CEO.</p>.<p><strong>Leisure at home</strong></p>.<p>Domestic travel is benefiting as well. Udaipur has recorded a 69% rise in bookings, followed by Jodhpur (47%), Bagdogra (44%), Srinagar (41%), and Agartala (38%). Goa, Jammu, and Dehradun are also seeing steady growth, reflecting a preference for shorter, predictable trips.</p>.<p>Gosain mentions that while demand for summer travel remains strong, booking behaviour has changed. Travellers are booking closer to departure dates and opting for flexible arrangements, with a clear tilt towards domestic and short-haul destinations. Regions such as Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, and the Northeast have seen demand rise by 15-20%.</p>.<p>Pricing trends remain uneven. Airfares have fluctuated, with some routes seeing a 5-10% drop in demand, while others have become more expensive due to rerouting. Hotel prices in domestic and short-haul markets have risen by 10-15% due to strong demand and limited supply. Pattie adds that fares on high-demand routes have increased by 10-20%, especially closer to travel dates.</p>.<p>West Asia’s role as a major transit hub — facilitating nearly 40% of Asia’s travel to the West and Africa — means disruptions are increasing travel times and costs. Long-haul travel has seen a slight dip of 10-15%.</p>.<p>Jamal Younes Kilito, Country Manager (India) for the Moroccan National Tourism Officer, notes that while the impact on Morocco is limited, connectivity challenges could slow growth from eastern markets.</p>.<p>Despite current disruptions, industry sentiment remains optimistic. “The tourism sector has always bounced back from major disruptions,” says Gosain, emphasising that current changes are temporary. Pittie echoes this, noting that while travel patterns may shift in the short term, underlying demand remains strong and is likely to stabilise as conditions improve.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: It has been over four weeks since tensions involving the US, Israel, and Iran engulfed West Asia, triggering uncertainty across the global economy, particularly in oil and gas. Alongside this, disruption of regional airspace and critical infrastructure, including airports and key tourism hubs such as Dubai, have dented travel to and through the region. Given the centrality of West Asian hubs in global transit networks, these developments are beginning to reshape travel patterns worldwide, even as demand for holidays remains resilient.</p>.<p>Despite intermittent airspace disruptions, Dubai continues to be a key global hub. However, uncertainty has slowed fresh bookings. “There has been a major reduction in new bookings, down 20-25% after airspace closures became uncertain,” says Ravi Gosain, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), noting that Dubai still retains its appeal as a leading leisure destination.</p>.<p>Travellers are not cancelling outright, but postponing plans. Experts view this as a short-term shift rather than structural decline. EaseMyTrip CEO and Co-Founder Rikant Pittie says the sentiment has been impacted, with travellers adopting a wait-and-watch approach. “Demand is more cautious and decision cycles have lengthened, driven by evolving visibility rather than any structural change in travel intent,” he explains.</p>.<p><strong>Far away from the conflict</strong></p>.<p>Even as uncertainty persists, the appetite for travel remains strong. Indian travellers are increasingly turning to destinations far away from the conflict zone. Safety, ease of access, connectivity, visa simplicity, and reliability are now taking precedence over price. A MakeMyTrip spokesperson notes that travellers typically adapt rather than cancel, choosing alternate domestic or international destinations instead.</p>.<p>This shift is already visible. Searches and bookings for East and Southeast Asian destinations such as Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka have risen. “Short-haul destinations like Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Bali have seen 15-20% growth in bookings due to affordability and direct connectivity,” says Gosain, adding that Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are also gaining traction.</p>.<p>India’s outbound tourism continues to expand rapidly, with around 3-4 crore Indians travelling abroad annually. Leisure remains the largest segment, accounting for roughly 43.5% of travellers, while total overseas spending is estimated at $30-32 billion. Popular destinations include the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, the US, Singapore, and the UK, with the top-10 destinations accounting for nearly 70% of outbound travel. The sector is projected to cross 50 million outbound travellers by 2030.</p>.<p>While West Asia faces operational volatility, the aviation sector is adapting. Airlines are rerouting via Central Asia, the Caucasus, or Africa to avoid conflict zones. “This has led to a redistribution of travel flows rather than a contraction,” says Pattie, adding that hubs such as Singapore and Delhi are emerging as critical bridge points.</p>.<p>Travel platform ixigo is also witnessing a shift in preferences. Vietnam has seen a 130% year-on-year rise in bookings, followed by Nepal (88%), Sri Lanka (68%), Indonesia (33%), Singapore (32%), and Thailand (22%). “Travellers are opting for more accessible and stable destinations,” says Aloke Bajpai, Co-founder and Group CEO.</p>.<p><strong>Leisure at home</strong></p>.<p>Domestic travel is benefiting as well. Udaipur has recorded a 69% rise in bookings, followed by Jodhpur (47%), Bagdogra (44%), Srinagar (41%), and Agartala (38%). Goa, Jammu, and Dehradun are also seeing steady growth, reflecting a preference for shorter, predictable trips.</p>.<p>Gosain mentions that while demand for summer travel remains strong, booking behaviour has changed. Travellers are booking closer to departure dates and opting for flexible arrangements, with a clear tilt towards domestic and short-haul destinations. Regions such as Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, and the Northeast have seen demand rise by 15-20%.</p>.<p>Pricing trends remain uneven. Airfares have fluctuated, with some routes seeing a 5-10% drop in demand, while others have become more expensive due to rerouting. Hotel prices in domestic and short-haul markets have risen by 10-15% due to strong demand and limited supply. Pattie adds that fares on high-demand routes have increased by 10-20%, especially closer to travel dates.</p>.<p>West Asia’s role as a major transit hub — facilitating nearly 40% of Asia’s travel to the West and Africa — means disruptions are increasing travel times and costs. Long-haul travel has seen a slight dip of 10-15%.</p>.<p>Jamal Younes Kilito, Country Manager (India) for the Moroccan National Tourism Officer, notes that while the impact on Morocco is limited, connectivity challenges could slow growth from eastern markets.</p>.<p>Despite current disruptions, industry sentiment remains optimistic. “The tourism sector has always bounced back from major disruptions,” says Gosain, emphasising that current changes are temporary. Pittie echoes this, noting that while travel patterns may shift in the short term, underlying demand remains strong and is likely to stabilise as conditions improve.</p>