Arabian Travel Market opens in Dubai on September 14 after two postponements, and it arrives as the region’s tourism sector emerges from a test few industry forecasts anticipated.

The war that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 disrupted the aviation network that connects the Gulf to the world. Months later, the recovery is visible, but the disruption exposed how much tourism growth depends on the movement of aircraft and passengers through a relatively concentrated network of regional hubs.

Dubai entered 2026 from a position of strength. Dubai International Airport handled 95.2 million passengers in 2025, and the city received 19.6 million international visitors. In February, the airport was forecasting another record year, with 99.5 million passengers.

The war changed that trajectory quickly.

In the first half of 2026, Dubai International handled 31.5 million passengers, down 31.3 percent from the same period a year earlier. Aircraft movements fell 32.1 percent. The closure and restriction of airspace across the region forced widespread cancelations, rescheduling and rerouting.

The impact extended well beyond one airport. Flight volumes at the region’s major carriers fell sharply in March. By March 23, Emirates was operating at around 84 percent of its pre-conflict level, Etihad Airways and Air Arabia at around 60 percent, and Qatar Airways and flydubai at around 51 percent, according to Flightradar24 data cited........

© Arab News Pakistan