The recently brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is sparking cautious optimism within the travel industry, aviation sector and among those considering holidaying in the Middle East region.
While a complete shift in sentiment towards travel to the region may not happen overnight, the signs are promising.
Indeed, tourism operators and bookers can feel increasingly optimistic that travel in the region is on track to regain a sense of normality.
This is especially true of areas that haven’t been directly impacted by the war that started in October 2023 – including normally popular destinations like Egypt and Jordan, for starters.
Dennis Bunnik, joint CEO of one of the leading operators of tours in the Middle East region, Bunnik Tours, says the company’s Israel touring program remains suspended, but it would review this again “in the months ahead”.
However, its Egypt and Jordan tours “remain open and are welcoming visitors as they have done ever since borders reopened post-Covid”.
“All tours are running and the feedback from Bunnik Tours travellers has been excellent,” he tells Karryon.
Bunnik is also seeing a “a weekly increase in enquiry and booking levels” for future trips.
“This is split between last-minute travel within the coming four months and those locking in their spots for the next high season, which starts in October 2025,” Dennis adds.
“Egypt and Jordan have captured the imagination of travellers for centuries and today’s travellers are no different.”
Intrepid Travel operates more than 20 trips in Jordan and Egypt and also opened its 29th country office in Amman (Jordan) in 2024.
Despite the conflict, it says that point-in-time bookings by Australians for 2025 versus last year for Egypt are 150 per cent up while Jordan is a whopping 200 per cent up. Operations in Israel & the Palestinian Territories remain paused at this stage.
“This ceasefire offers a glimmer of hope for restoring confidence in the region as a travel destination,” Intrepid Travel ANZ Managing Director Brett Mitchell tells Karryon.
“For the travel industry, it’s an opportunity to help rebuild bridges by encouraging sustainable tourism that supports local economies and fosters cross-cultural understanding.
“We know Intrepid travellers want to reconnect with a region rich in history and cultural significance. It also challenges the travel industry to approach tourism here responsibly, ensuring it becomes a tool for economic recovery and a force for long-term stability.”
G Adventures Managing Director Australia/New Zealand Sean Martin tells Karryon that from a travel perspective, the war had really hurt countries that heavily rely on tourism “from Jordan through to Egypt and even as far away geographically as Morocco”.
But he is confident that the ceasefire could result in significant growth to the region, which “then benefits the local communities who so need it”.
“The loss of life from the war has been absolutely devastating,” he states.
“Further to this, many local communities in the Middle East and Northern Africa region have also suffered so much as tourism has slowed.
“These are some of the most beautiful and safe places on earth and I would encourage anyone who wants to give back to do so by going on holiday and supporting these countries.”
Major tour operator Wendy Wu Tours also welcomed news of the ceasefire. But its Managing Director, Australia Simon Bell says the company had already seen “a notable uptick in bookings to Middle East destinations over the past few weeks, prior to the ceasefire being confirmed.”
So, with the new armistice, Bell believes travellers should be able to travel even more confidently to the greater region.
“It has certainly been encouraging for us to see the beginnings of confidence return, with travellers again putting the region back into their holiday plans,” he tells Karryon.
Govt and traveller reaction
So far, most of the Australian Government’s official travel advice levels remain unchanged for most of the Middle East region following the ceasefire announcement. But the truce could certainly change that, especially for the regions most impacted by the conflict like Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Lebanon – a destination normally popular in the big VFR (visiting friends and relatives) market.
Despite the positive outlook, there’s still some work to do. In a snap survey by US-based medical, security and travel risk management services company Global Rescue, only one in five (22 per cent) respondents said the ceasefire made them more likely to consider a trip to Israel or elsewhere in the Middle East.
Even more surprisingly, most (62 per cent) respondents said the deal wouldn’t make them more likely to consider a trip to Israel or elsewhere in the region in 2025.
“Israel and the Middle East are unique travel destinations, offering cultural, historical, and natural attractions, but the region’s risks make security considerations essential,” Global Rescue Companies CEO Dan Richards said.
“While most travellers remain cautious, with a fifth saying it increases their likelihood of visiting, it also highlights the importance of including robust traveller protection and insurance.”
Air travel status
Meanwhile, some airlines have begun to resume flights to ports disrupted by the conflict.
Lufthansa Group (including carriers Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Austrian Airlines and Swiss) says that it will resume flights to Tel Aviv (Israel) from 1 February. However, flights to Tehran (Iran) and Beirut (Lebanon) remain suspended until at least 14 and 28 February respectively, Reuters reported.
Elsewhere, Air France/KLM’s Tel Aviv and Beirut flights are suspended only until 24 and 31 January respectively.
“The operations will resume on the basis of an assessment of the situation on the ground,” the company said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines said it would resume flights to Damascus (Syria) on 23 January. Read about TK’s other Australasian news here.
Low-cost carriers Wizz Air, EasyJet and Ryanair have also either recommenced flights or stated their intentions to do so.
Wizz Air recommenced London to Tel Aviv and Amman flights last Thursday, the day after the ceasefire was announced, while EasyJet is reviewing its plans.
Before the ceasefire deal was signed, Ryanair said it planned to run a full schedule of flights to Tel Aviv in the northern summer after it restarted Amman flights in December.
“We rely on (European aviation regulator) EASA guidance … but our view is that we will be back,” Ryanair DAC CEO Eddie Wilson told Reuters, the largest of five subsidiary airlines operated by the Ryanair Group.