Middle East Crisis: Impact on Buyers of European Tourism Services | September 2026
Since April, we have conducted a series of surveys among tour operators, suppliers and destination members to assess the impact of the crisis in the Gulf and better understand business responses and concerns. This latest edition marks the end of the current survey cycle.
The September results show that the business impact seen in August has continued, with moderate impact remaining broadly stable at 41%. Reduced demand is now the most significant impact, reported by 75% of respondents, up from 62% in August. Cancellations (57%) and increased prices (53%) have also risen, pointing to growing financial pressure.
Businesses are increasingly responding through longer-term commercial measures, with 55% postponing trips to 2027 and 47% adjusting pricing strategies.
Looking ahead, demand uncertainty (84%), customer confidence (62%) and margin/price uncertainty (60%) remain the main concerns. For 2027, respondents expect greater use of pricing adjustments, destination and itinerary changes, market diversification and cost reduction.
Overall, the results point to a continued shift from managing immediate operational disruption towards managing sustained demand and commercial risk, with 56% of respondents expecting the ongoing crisis to have the greatest impact on their strategic planning.