Tourism in the Middle East is suffering due to the war: "Since the start of the conflict in Gaza, we have not operated in Israel."

Tensions in the Middle East continue to rise. The war in Gaza, the attacks between Israel and Iran, and the recent entry of the United States into the conflict keep the world on edge. Given this situation in the region's political landscape, tourism is also being affected .

Countries like Jordan and Israel itself , popular hubs for international visitors, many of them from Spain, have seen bookings plummet. "Tourism is an industry that thrives especially during times of peace and tranquility, and when situations like this occur, it always creates some concern," José Manuel Lastra, first vice president of the Spanish Confederation of Travel Agencies (CEAV), told 20minutos .

On the other hand, other destinations are managing to maintain stable tourist numbers despite the proximity to the conflict. "Despite the complexity of the current situation, we continue to see very positive performance in key destinations such as Egypt, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates ," explains Civitatis, the activity and excursion distribution company.

Israel, total paralysis

The capital, Tel Aviv; Jerusalem; the Dead Sea; the cities of Haifa, Acre, and Safed; the archaeological site of Caesarea... are just some of the tourist attractions in Israel that, since the beginning of the conflict, have been receiving fewer and fewer visitors . For example, according to Efe, in 2024 the country recorded a 68% drop in tourists, with just 962,000 visitors, a number far below the 4 million annual visits it normally receives.

"In Israel, the situation has had a significant impact on tourism operations. Tours have been canceled for several months, and in the last month , all planned reservations have been canceled , either by clients or for operational reasons," Civitatis explains to 20minutos . "Since the start of the conflict in Gaza, we have not been operating in Israel ," the travel agency GrandVoyage also tells us.

The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that, "given the situation in the region as a result of the Israeli attack on Iran in the early hours of June 13, 2025, and the indefinite closure of its airspace , travel to Israel is not recommended . Likewise, Ben Gurion International Airport, the country's largest international airport, is currently closed to commercial flights indefinitely.

Jordan at historic lows

Many have dreamed of traveling to Petra , but now many are also thinking twice about visiting this ancient Nabataean city, as well as other attractions in Jordan such as the Wadi Rum Desert, the Wadi Mujib River, the Dead Sea, the city of Madaba, or the Jerash archaeological complex. The director of the Petra Regional and Tourism Development Authority, Fares al-Brizat, noted that the number of visitors to the Petra archaeological site has fallen "to an all-time low."

In the case of Jordan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends " travel with caution and refrain from doing so in certain areas, specifically those bordering Syria, Iraq and the Palestinian territories. Furthermore, due to the changing regional situation, please consult the accounts of the Spanish Embassy in Jordan at X". Likewise, at this time and since June 13, 2025 , Jordanian airspace is closed due to the overflight of drones and missiles in the area.

"In recent days, with Iran's involvement, Jordan has also been affected by temporary airspace closures," GranVoyage explains. "If someone already has a trip booked and decides to change dates or even destinations , we do everything possible to facilitate this with the lowest possible costs," they add.

Egypt maintains tourist volume

"When a situation like this occurs, there are some destinations about which we receive a greater number of inquiries from travelers. This is the case of Egypt, a country in high demand by Spanish travelers," José Manuel Lastra, First Vice President of CEAV, explains to 20minutos . Not without some slowdowns in visitor arrivals, the North African country has managed to maintain a large volume of tourists , reaching a record 15.7 million in 2024. "Egypt has experienced a notable growth of almost 50% in reservations between 2023 and 2025, reflecting strong tourist demand ," explains Civitatis.

"Both regular and charter flight operations continue as normal. Likewise, boats specially chartered for Spanish travelers on Nile cruises continue to operate normally. Therefore, we can say that it is an absolutely safe country and people can continue to travel there ," Lastra assures.

United Arab Emirates, stable but with cancellations

In the case of the United Arab Emirates, there has been no decline in visitor numbers; in fact, Dubai reached 18.72 million tourists in 2024, setting a record in this sector, according to data from its Department of Economy and Tourism. The country " stands out with cumulative growth of 33% in bookings in the last year, which demonstrates that many travelers continue to choose these destinations for their cultural richness and experience offerings," Civitatis explains.

However, the nation is not exempt from the collateral damage of the war. Airlines such as British Airways, United Airlines, and Air Canada have canceled flights to Dubai due to the risk of flying through conflict zones.