UK: Tour companies say they expect business to pick up after the war
Middle East tour operators are said to be “playing a waiting game” with regard to bookings, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.
The newspaper reports that operators are banking on an upturn in demand once the war is over, after bookings dried up during the weeks and months preceding the current conflict in Iraq. Many operators told the Daily Telegraph that they still have numerous bookings for the autumn, which is traditionally a popular time to visit the region because of cooler temperatures.
Jenny Hand, director of Cox and Kings, reportedly told the newspaper: “If the fighting is over quickly many people are anticipating that there will be a lot of demand. Clients are still asking for brochures and waiting to see the effect on the region.
Furthermore, Andante Travels which offers autumn archaeological tours of Syria, Jordan and Libya, reports that is has had no cancellations related to the war. Andante’s Annabel Lawson told the Telegraph: “If that place has always been your dream, you will not be put off by war.”
