The ongoing attacks by Israel and the US on Iran, along with Iran’s retaliatory strikes in the Middle East, are severely affecting the tourism industry. The World Travel Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates that the global travel sector is losing around ₹5,500 crore daily due to the Iran conflict. Nearly half of Indian travellers heading abroad visit countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman, with about 40% travelling for tourism. As a result, Indian tourists are now exploring alternatives like Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan. Despite airlines raising fares, many travellers are opting for domestic destinations such as Kochi, Puri, and the Andaman Islands. Inquiries for these locations have surged by approximately 200% in recent days. 2026 could prove to be good for domestic tourism According to Anisha Sharma, spokesperson for Delhi-based travel company TeamOne Holidays, cancellations for travel to Gulf countries are currently almost 100%. She said that if this trend continues, 2026 could be a very strong year for India’s domestic tourism, as travellers are exploring nearby and diverse destinations within the country. Hari Ganapathy, CEO of international travel platform Pickyourtrail, said bookings in the Middle East region have fallen by about 60%. Rajesh Magow, co-founder of MakeMyTrip, said that if the conflict continues for a longer period, travellers may shift towards domestic destinations or international destinations that are not affected. Meanwhile, Nishant Pitti, founder of EaseMyTrip, said bookings for countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives and Japan are witnessing strong growth, while domestic tourism continues to remain robust. Post navigation After Air India, IndiGo raises fares:₹425 surcharge on domestic flights, up to ₹2,300 on international tickets due to costly jet fuel FASTag annual pass will become expensive from April 1:Commuters to pay ₹3,075 instead of ₹3,000
