As the Israel-Palestine war intensifies, travelers change their plans

 As the Israel-Palestine war intensifies, travelers change their plans

Indian tourists who had planned to visit the region or nearby regions in December are requesting last-minute rescheduling and cancellations as the Israel-Palestine conflict worsens.

Fortunately, we don't have any clients there at the moment. The previous batch left Israel a week or so ago. We have deliberately canceled our plans for the next three months in Israel because we anticipate interruptions. Those who intended to visit Israel have been offered the choice of visiting other nations or postponing their trip plans, according to Anand Parameswaran, founder and CEO of Beyonder Experiences, who spoke to Mint.

Due to the excellent weather, there is a significant increase in tourism in nations like Israel, Jordan, and Egypt during the third quarter. Data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation show that 38,573 people traveled between India and Israel between October and December of 2019. In total, 20,842 passengers travelled from Egypt to India. Direct flights to Israel and Egypt are available for visitors from India as well as those attending conferences or seminars. Travelers who had intended to visit nearby nations like Jordan are likewise thinking about changing their plans. There are one-stop flights to Jordan.

Travelers are reluctant to visit Jordan, despite the fact that there is no problem. Instead, we are providing them with alternatives," stated Parameswaran.

In light of the crisis, Air India has halted flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv until October 14. Other significant airlines, such as United Airlines, Delta, Lufthansa, American Airlines, Air France, Ryan Air, and Aegean, have also been pushed by the escalating tensions in the region to determine whether to reschedule flights, halt operations, or decrease direct flights.

The busiest travel period starts in October. According to Aashish Gupta, consulting chief executive of the the Federation of Australia of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hotel Management (Faith), as this conflict worsens, it will have an increasing effect on travel to and from the Middle East by leisure and business travelers attending meetings, conferences, and exhibitions.

According to Gupta, the Israel-Palestine conflict and the hardening of oil prices would increase inflationary pressures, have an influence on aviation rates, and reduce discretionary travel.

The tension occurs while Indian airlines are growing worldwide to meet the rising expectations of Indian travelers, who have demonstrated an increasing propensity to go to foreign locations within the short-to-medium term.

"People are delaying their plans at the moment because there is so much negativity. We are attempting to arrange a charter flight from Israel, but we are unsure of the outcome or how long the conflict will last. According to information obtained by the Indian embassy, 200 Indian visitors who were stranded in Bethlehem were able to return home via the road leading to the Egyptian border.

A tour operator executive continued, "The instability in the region is also forcing travelers in Europe to rethink their plans, but there have not been any notable cancellations or postponements of plans for Europe as of yet."