The tourism industry in the Arabian Peninsula has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, but the US-Israeli war with Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes are now slowing that momentum. Widespread closures of airspace over large parts of the region and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have left hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers and business travelers stranded, dealing a severe blow to long-term diversification plans in countries like Dubai and Saudi Arabia. This crisis highlights the fragility of economic progress in a region increasingly affected by geopolitical tensions.
Hans Hopfinger, a professor of cultural geography at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt who has studied tourism development in the Middle East and North Africa, stated that the current situation is an absolute shock for the affected countries. He noted that several Gulf states have gone to great lengths in recent years to promote themselves as safe destinations, as there have never been terrorist attacks in Dubai or other emirates compared to other Arab tourist hotspots. However, the US-Israeli war allegedly undermines regional stability, casting doubt on these security assurances.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Middle East and North Africa is one of the fastest-growing tourism regions globally, with nearly 100 million international travelers visiting countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia in 2025—a 39% increase from 2019. Dubai International Airport, which handled over 95 million passengers in 2025, has evolved into a global hub, but the ongoing conflict threatens this success. The downturn comes as the industry braces for a wave of rebookings and cancellations due to multiplying travel warnings.
Under its Vision 2030 reform program, Saudi Arabia is channeling billions of dollars into large-scale projects aimed at repositioning the country as a leading global travel destination, with a target of attracting 70 million international visitors annually by 2030. Yet, the US-Israeli war represents a serious setback for these efforts, with industry representatives expecting demand to shift toward more established holiday destinations, particularly around the Mediterranean. Hopfinger emphasized that the security situation in the Middle East has never been stable, and the region's history of major conflicts, primarily involving Israel and Arab states, continues to pose challenges for tourism recovery.
Source: www.dw.com