Middle East tourist arrivals fall 14% in Q1

Middle East tourist arrivals fell 14% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, according to UN Tourism, as travel demand was affected by disruption linked to the Iran war.

 

Several Gulf destinations recorded declines during the quarter, although Egypt recorded a 16% increase in arrivals. The Middle East had entered 2026 from a position of strength, with international arrivals in 2025 standing 40 percent above pre-pandemic 2019 levels before regional disruption affected travel demand.

 

International tourist arrivals worldwide rose 2% to 307 million during the first three months of the year, equivalent to around six million more travellers than in Q1 2025.

 

Global accommodation occupancy averaged 64% in March 2026, unchanged year-on-year. In the Middle East, occupancy declined from 75% in January to 48% by March as travel disruption weighed on demand.

 

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UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nowais said: “The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is disrupting travel patterns well beyond the region itself, including rising inflation, particularly in transport and accommodation. Even amid this uncertainty, international tourism continued to show resilience in the first quarter of 2026.”

 

The organisation expects the disruption to reduce global tourism growth by between one and two percentage points below its original forecast of 3% to 4% for 2026. 

 

The findings add to a growing body of industry analysis on the impact of the conflict. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) estimated that disruption linked to the crisis could cost the Middle East travel sector up to US$600 million a day. The projections were discussed during the organisation’s inaugural Leadership Cruise in Egypt in May 2026, which brought together more than 300 tourism leaders aboard Crystal Serenity.

 

Aviation data reflected a similar trend. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), global passenger demand rose 2.1%in March 2026, while Middle East traffic declined as airlines adjusted schedules and routes amid regional airspace restrictions and operational disruption.

 

For more information, visit www.e-unwto.org