Experts: Middle East crisis will lead to higher airfares
Travel experts believe the crisis in the Middle East may affect tourism for years to come and North Africa and Southern Europe are likely to benefit. An increase in airline ticket prices is expected.
After the long winter, Estonians head for the sunshine, and even uncertain times in the world do not make them give up beach holidays, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported on Sunday.
Travel companies say some travelers' plans have changed after Iran's attacks on the United Arab Emirates last week.
"There have been some changes from Egypt to the Canary Islands for those whose holiday is coming up soon or falls within the same time frame as originally planned. Some Egypt trips have also been changed to Turkey," said Novatours marketing manager Olev Riisberg.
The most popular locations for Estonian travelers in recent years have been Egypt, the Canary Islands, and the United Arab Emirates, thanks to convenient flight connections.
Estravel CEO Kaire Saadi said previous crises have shown that destinations need a couple of years to restore travelers' trust.
"It is likely that the Middle East will not be a very popular destination. At the same time, this is currently the end of the season. In the autumn we will see exactly what the new developments are," she said.
"Considering that we sell travel services to 180 different countries, it means that people must constantly keep their eyes and ears open, read the news, check information on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Reisi Targalt page about any current warnings, and think very carefully about where to go," the CEO noted.
While insurance companies have covered some of the expenses stuck in the Middle East, those who travel after February 28 cannot rely on this, said Reisiekspert CEO Sven Lõoke.
Lõoke does not believe the latest crisis will reduce Estonians' desire to travel.
"European warm destinations will become even more popular, perhaps North Africa — Tunisia, Morocco. Flying to Asia is still very popular, but in Asia's case it must be taken into account that flight corridors are becoming increasingly narrow. Flights may become significantly longer," he said.
Airline tickets will likely also become more expensive, but according to the travel company executive, there have never been as many flights from Tallinn to Europe as there are now. It is still possible to fly to both the Mediterranean and North Africa at reasonable prices.
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Editor: Helen Wright, Valner Väino
