Travelers put off holiday trips to Middle East as Israel-Hamas war rages

Travelers are canceling or postponing planned vacations to the Middle East and North Africa due to fears of the Israel-Hamas conflict worsening, and as touring companies have also altered itineraries and canceled flights. Leisure travel demand to the region was hit after Israel said the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas killed 1,400 people in southern Israel on Oct. 7, and Israel responded with air and ground strikes on Gaza that Palestinian authorities say have killed more than 9,000. Major airlines extended temporary halts on flights into Israel through the end of the year while cruise operators are shifting itineraries to avoid neighboring countries as well. Travel operators say the war is affecting demand for travel to nearby nations including Egypt, Jordan and Turkey. "We are seeing clients cancel cruises like an Egypt Nile river cruise as far out as December 2024 due to concerns with the war," said Todd Elliott, CEO of Orlando, Florida-based Cruise Vacation Outlet, a travel agency.<br/>Still, some industry representatives say they expect the effect to be short-lived. "In terms of demand, based on the CEOs that I've spoken to, they're saying that they can't identify an impact at this stage," said Willie Walsh, head of the International Air Transport Association, an airlines trade group. Lufthansa said on Thursday their Middle East bookings have not been affected by the war, with only an initial dip when the conflict started.<br/>