Travel declines across Middle East amidst Israel-Palestine conflict

Shafaq News/ Travel data analysis conducted by Forward Keys has revealed a significant decline in airline ticket sales to Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon since the eruption of conflict between Israel and Hamas on October 7. The violence prompted widespread flight cancellations to Israel, as international airlines suspended operations due to security concerns.

Tour operators swiftly canceled trips to Israel, resulting in many hotels experiencing a sharp drop in occupancy. However, the repercussions of the conflict have not been confined to Israel alone; the data indicates a broader decline in travel across the entire region.

Olivier Ponti, Vice President of Analytics at Forward Keys, noted the extent of the decrease: "Travel tickets to Egypt decreased by 26% year-on-year, to Jordan by 49%, and to Lebanon by 74%.” Given the scale of the conflict and ongoing humanitarian crisis, he emphasized that such a decline was expected.

Several airlines, including Lufthansa, Eurowings, and Swiss Airlines, suspended their flights to Lebanon in mid-October. Popular tourist destinations such as Petra in Jordan and the Red Sea resorts in Egypt often visited with trips to Israel, also experienced a downturn in visitor numbers.

The data further revealed a staggering 187% decrease in tickets for future trips to Israel between October 7 and October 19, compared to the same period last year, highlighting the profound impact of the conflict on travel plans across the region.