UK: But Iraq guide book has become very popular since onset of war
New figures released by the Association of European Airlines suggest that travel between Europe and the Middle East has been cut by some 50 per cent since the outbreak of hostilities in Iraq.
Services from many parts of the world to the troubled region have been cut drastically; British Airways’ traffic to the Middle East in March was down 15 per cent on last year; the carrier has cancelled its services to Kuwait and has reduced service to many other destinations in the region.
Meanwhile, there is good news for the travel guide company Bradt, which says its guide to Iraq has become a best seller since the start of the war. The company says the guide has proven especially popular with families of troops serving in Iraq.
A reportedly spokesman told the Daily Telegraph: “We had reservations about going ahead with this guide but now it is one of our best sellers. We have heard that many British soldiers have purchased the guide and the US State Department has also shown interest. It is also proving popular with people who have no intention of travelling to the country but are interested in its ancient sites and archaeology.”
