A research note issued by Oxford Economics indicates that approximately 28 million flights from the Middle East face the risk of cancellation or delay this year, due to the instability resulting from the war waged by the United States and Israel on Iran.
In this context, Helen McDermott, Director of Global Forecasts at Oxford Economics, and Jessie Smith, the company’s chief economist, stated: “Nearly 28 million departures from the Middle East are at risk this year as disruptions in air travel and their economic impacts continue.”
Smith also explained, according to Reuters, that the European continent is the most vulnerable to this crisis, as it receives 60% of the threatened flights.
Countries such as Türkiye, France, and the United Kingdom are among the countries most at risk in particular, as they receive large numbers of tourists coming from the Middle East.
The Tourism Economics team at Oxford Economics believes that this war will lead to a “focus on specific regions” in travel, as travelers prefer local destinations as safer options.
Other European destinations such as Spain, Portugal and Greece are expected to benefit from this shift, while countries such as Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia could be considered attractive tourism alternatives.
