The World Travel and Tourism Council says the new war in the Middle East is costing million of dollars per day in lost visitor spending. Jenny Southan reports

According to the global tourism body, disruptions to air travel, falling traveller confidence and reduced regional connectivity are beginning to affect tourism demand throughout the region.

The Middle East plays an important role in global travel flows. The region accounts for about 5% of global international arrivals and around 14% of international transit traffic worldwide. As a result, disruption in the region can have wider consequences for aviation, tourism and hospitality businesses beyond the Middle East.

Major aviation hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain are particularly significant for global connectivity. Together, these airports typically process around 526,000 passengers per day.

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However, the WTTC says airport closures and operational disruption linked to the Iran conflict have already affected these major transit centres, limiting flight operations and reducing travel demand across international routes.

The organisation’s estimates are based on its pre-conflict forecast for 2026, which predicted international visitor spending across the Middle East would reach US$207 billion this year.

With visitor spending normally averaging around US$600 million per day across the region, even short-term disruption to travel flows can quickly translate into significant economic losses for the tourism sector.

The effects extend across the wider travel ecosystem. Reduced passenger traffic can impact airlines, airports, hotels, car hire companies, cruise operators and other tourism businesses that depend on international travellers passing through the region.

Despite the current challenges, WTTC says historical evidence shows that tourism is often able to recover relatively quickly following security-related disruptions.

Previous research by the organisation indicates that travel demand can return within as little as two months after security incidents, provided governments and industry leaders take coordinated action to restore traveller confidence.

Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of WTTC, says: “Travel and tourism is the most resilient of sectors. History shows that the sector can recover quickly, especially when governments support travellers through hotel support or repatriation. Our analysis of previous crises demonstrates that security-related incidents often see the fastest tourism recovery times, in some cases as quickly as two months, when governments and industry work together to restore traveller confidence.”

She also emphasised the role of governments and industry cooperation in stabilising the sector during periods of disruption. “The WTTC commends governments who have worked tirelessly in recent days to support recovery efforts,” Guevara says. “Clear communication, strong coordination between the public and private sectors, and measures that reinforce safety and stability are critical to rebuilding trust with travellers and supporting the sector’s recovery.”

The WTTC says it is continuing to monitor developments in the region and is working with governments and industry partners to support traveller safety and sector stability.

The organisation represents the global private sector travel industry and regularly analyses the economic impact of tourism on national and regional economies.

While the current Iran conflict is already affecting aviation routes and traveller confidence, WTTC believes the sector’s recovery will depend on coordinated responses from governments, clear communication with travellers and steps taken to maintain safe travel conditions.