Since the West Asia conflict began, many tourists have been stranded in Dubai, and many more who had pre-booked their tours are either postponing their visits or cancelling the trips altogether.
Travellers who had planned trips to Dubai or even stopovers in the Gulf city on their way to Europe and the US are especially worried. Dubai’s image of a haven for tourists has been shattered since it faced attacks by Iran. The Islamic Republic hit several countries in West Asia over the weekend, following the US-Israel attacks that killed top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
These developments have significantly affected tour operators across the world, including those based in Kolkata.
Riddi Roy, Owner, Dolphins Global Tours and Travels, told The Indian Express, “Right now we have a few solo travelers to Europe, but the big batches start from next month. We are just starting our season, and this struck… Two of my passengers got their flight tickets cancelled.”
She further said, “In March, we had a group of 16 people going to Dubai, but they are also cancelling. Currently, there are no alternatives that we can give; it’s just wait-and-see. We have made payments, so we are trying to reschedule the whole thing. Due to the SIR, everything was going a bit slow, and now this. Our US and Europe tours are also affected. The Tulip season in Europe is coming up, so there were bookings, but they, too, are getting affected. The tourism industry is very badly affected. Be it the Covid-19 pandemic, natural calamities, or terrorist attacks, the tourism industry is the first to get affected.”
Soumitra Kundu of Kundu Travels said, “The tourism industry is very sensitive. Everyone is worried about the situation. Those who book international travel are not ready to go for domestic travel. At present, we are taking bookings for Sri Lanka.”
Debjit Dutta of the Indian Association of Tour Operators said, “The IIT Berlin, which is one of the biggest travel exhibitions, is starting tomorrow, and we have booked a stall there. Meetings are also scheduled in Berlin; we do not know what will happen if we are not able to reach on time. All the money will go down the drain. Some flights are there but the ticket prices are very high. It is a complete mess right now.”
Those who had planned vacations are also worried.
Nilima Saha, who was scheduled to travel to Turkey with her husband, told this publication, “We were to travel to Turkey via Dubai in April, but now everything is uncertain. No one will take the risk now.”
School teacher Renuka Sinha said, “My daughter is giving her Class 12 Board exam. So, we had planned a trip to Dubai after her exams. I have relatives, plus it’s the best place for all. I haven’t told my daughter yet, but I know she will be sad hearing that the trip has been cancelled.”