by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 7:20 AM ET, Wed March 11, 2026
Escalating conflict involving Iran is already having a significant economic impact on the global travel sector, with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) estimating losses of at least US$600 million per day in international visitor spending across the Middle East.
According to the organization, disruptions to air travel, declining traveller confidence and reduced regional connectivity are affecting demand across the tourism ecosystem.
The Middle East plays a critical role in global aviation and tourism flows. The region accounts for about 5% of international arrivals worldwide and handles approximately 14% of global international transit traffic, meaning disruptions in the region can ripple across the global travel network.
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Major aviation hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain, which together typically process around 526,000 passengers per day, have experienced closures and operational disruptions as the conflict escalates.
These interruptions are affecting both regional travel and long-haul connections that rely on Middle Eastern transit hubs.
WTTC said its estimates are based on its pre-conflict 2026 forecast, which projected US$207 billion in international visitor spending across the Middle East this year.
Despite the immediate impact, WTTC says the travel sector has historically demonstrated strong resilience following security-related crises.
“Travel & Tourism is the most resilient of sectors," said Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council.
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"The impact of international visitor spending across the Middle East is significant and averages around US$600 million per day, but 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. WTTC commends governments who have worked tirelessly in recent days to support recovery efforts,”
Industry experts say the coming weeks will be critical in determining how quickly travel demand rebounds, particularly as airlines adjust schedules and governments work to stabilize airspace and restore connectivity across one of the world’s busiest aviation corridors.
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