Uncertainty over flight operations from Gulf countries severely impacting Karnataka’s tourism sector

Mangaluru/Hubballi: Uncertainty over flight operations, particularly those transiting through Dubai or originating from Gulf countries, is severely impacting Karnataka’s tourism sector.

Nearly 75 per cent of bookings for both inbound and outbound tourists with tour operators have been cancelled since March 1, with almost no new bookings reported to the war-affected countries.

Industry experts say the disruption is affecting not only inbound foreign tourists but also Indians planning overseas travel. With March to May being the holiday season for Indians, a majority of outbound tourists had booked family tour packages to Arab countries and Europe.

The war in West Asia has also impacted religious tours for Muslims during the month of Ramzan.

Tour operators told DH that tourist arrivals this March have dropped by nearly 80 per cent compared to previous years, especially from Israel, European countries and the United States.

As Dubai serves as a key transit hub for many travellers, partial closures and frequent flight disruptions due to warnings of missile and drone attacks have hit the tourism sector in Karnataka.

Karnataka Tourism Society Vice President Mahalingaiah S said that March to May is the peak holiday season for outbound tourists.

“Regular cancellation of flights and sudden changes in timings have led many tourists to cancel their plans. Fluctuations in airfares to Dubai have also forced families planning trips to countries not directly impacted by the war to cancel their travel,” he said.

He added that the sector may not recover from the impact of the war for at least two months even if hostilities end immediately. “Tour operators in Karnataka are expecting to sustain 50 per cent to 60 per cent losses this season due to the drop in inbound tourists,” he said.

Speaking to DH, Vathika Pai of Nirmala Travels said a customised holiday tour scheduled for March has been cancelled, while customised tours planned for April have been put on hold.

“Normally, we have 30 to 40 people in a group tour, depending on the season,” she said.

Subrahmanya HP, regional in-charge of Vikram Travels and Resorts India Pvt Ltd, said the company has cancelled tours to Dubai until the end of May.

“Our Dubai season usually runs from September to the end of May. Due to the prevailing conditions, we have cancelled planned departures. Even those who had booked earlier are unwilling to take the risk and prefer to defer their travel, even if the situation normalises in April,” he said.

He added that the company had no tour packages to Gulf countries in March as it normally does not arrange tours during the Ramzan month. “We are now focusing on eastern destinations such as Bali, Vietnam and Thailand,” he said.

Flight cancellations from Gulf countries have also disrupted the travel plans of many overseas Indians planning to visit their native places for Ramzan celebrations.

Advocate P A Hameed Padubidri, who works in Riyadh, said several Indians who had travelled for the Umrah pilgrimage and others on tourist visas have remained stranded in Gulf countries.

Tickets to India that were booked months earlier for around 400 to 500 Saudi Riyals are now available at nearly 2,500 Saudi Riyals. “Despite the steep hike in fares, there is no guarantee of travel,” he said.

Gopal, a guide in Hampi, said the number of foreign tourists visiting the heritage site has dropped drastically over the past ten days. Those who arrived before the conflict escalated are now more concerned about returning home than continuing their holiday.

Alexander Raydl, an Austrian tourist, said his three-day trip to Hampi was scheduled to end on March 2. “We were to fly back to Austria on March 5 via Dubai. However, with multiple flights cancelled, we are unable to do so. Authorities have extended our visa period, but the cost of staying in Bengaluru for our group of seven is going beyond our budget,” he said.

The war has also impacted sea routes. Since the first cruise call in December, a total of 1,164 passengers and 820 crew members have arrived in Mangaluru.

Three more cruise ships carrying hundreds of passengers are expected to visit the port before the end of the tourist season.