When the war in Iran started at the end of February, the Foreign Office moved quickly to put an “essential travel only” warning on some of our most-loved holiday hotspots and air hubs. The United Arab Emirates, home to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Qatar were among them.
The fallout was immediate. Hundreds of thousands of passengers had travel plans cancelled. Air traffic in Dubai and Doha — previously two of the world’s busiest airports, accounting for 40 per cent of travel between Europe and Asia — was frozen.
A hundred and ten days later, in the wake of an agreement between the US and Iran to end the war, the UK government has lifted its warning against travelling to countries across the Gulf, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and a large swathe of Saudi Arabia. But what does it actually mean?
Essentially, travel to and via the Middle East can now go ahead, as the UK government considers the region safe — albeit with a caveat that the situation is unpredictable and could change at short notice.
Holiday packages to popular destinations such as Dubai can be sold again and are protected by Atol, the financial safety net that covers travellers in the event their trip is cancelled.
Holidaymakers can also be fully insured. The Foreign Office warning against travel had the effect of invalidating all but the most specialist policies, even if passengers were only transiting in the Gulf without leaving the airport.
What you need to know
- Holidays are back on to countries including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain
- Passengers can now safely transit through the Gulf
- But the Foreign Office warns that the situation could change quickly
However, if you feel any lingering nervousness about taking a trip to or via the Gulf, bear in mind that the government’s change in travel advice means that holidaymakers no longer have the automatic right to free cancellation.
Air capacity is ramping up. Emirates is operating 20 flights a day between Dubai and the UK, Qatar Airways has about 14 daily services via Doha; while Etihad has eight to Abu Dhabi.
This comes with European airlines having postponed their Gulf schedules, with no immediate plans to restart them despite the lifting of the government warning. British Airways has cancelled its flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi until October at the earliest, while Virgin Atlantic has pulled out of Dubai, the UAE’s largest city, until at least next year.
The government decision should also help to bring down the price of nonstop Europe-Asia services, which increased by 400 per cent this spring as air passengers avoided travelling via the Gulf.
While hundreds of thousands of people will relish being able to fly safely through the Gulf’s megahubs again, it’s unlikely that holidaymakers will make plans to visit resorts in the Middle East in the short term. The temperature in Dubai is 37C right now, and it will get even hotter over the next few months. Traditionally the Gulf has been a popular destination for winter sun, particularly during the October half-term and Christmas holidays.
There is also some trepidation among tourists about what they will find when they do get to the Gulf. Some hotels in Dubai, for example, have taken the opportunity to close for renovations, including the sail-shaped Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, which will reopen in October next year. Others are offering deals in an attempt to recover business as hotel occupancy is hovering around 10 to 15 per cent.
Last year Dubai welcomed nearly 20 million overnight visitors, while its airport handled around four times that many people. Of course it will be some time before things properly return to normal. But for Gulf holidaymakers and travellers in general, the UK government advice is a reason for cautious optimism.
Six holidays in the Middle East
By Siobhan Grogan
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we will earn affiliate revenue
1. In-depth Saudi Arabia
Take in the highlights of Saudi Arabia on this small-group tour between Riyadh and Jeddah, travelling by domestic flight and high-speed train. After two nights in a hotel in the capital, you’ll stay in a Bedouin-style tent at a mango farm in the Valley of the Palm Trees and watch the sun rise over the Wadi Siah canyon. You’ll also visit the sandstone Elephant Rock for desert views, the ancient rock-carved tombs of Unesco-listed Hegra and the sacred city of Medina, with its mosques, markets and museums.
Seven nights’ half-board — with three in farm stays and four in hotels — from £3,595pp, including flights, transfers, internal travel, excursions and some extra meals
2. Highlights of luxury Dubai
Squeeze three holidays into a week in just one city on a luxury tailor-made trip to Dubai. Tick off souks and skyscrapers with three nights downtown at the swish One&Only One Za’abeel, including entrance to the observation deck of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Next wake up to undulating desert dunes after a night at the remote, five-star Al Maha, before well-earned beach time at the seafront Mandarin Oriental Jumeira.
Six nights’ B&B from £3,795pp, including transfers, guiding and activities. Fly to Dubai
3. Activity-packed week in Jordan
Hiking the dunes of the Wadi Rum desert, swimming in the salty waters of the Dead Sea and sleeping under the stars at a Bedouin camp are all included in this action-packed small-group tour of Jordan. Plus it’s chock-full of culture, including a guided tour of the ancient Roman city of Jerash, two nights in Madaba, with its Byzantine-era mosaics, and two days exploring the rose-coloured rock-hewn buildings of Petra, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
Seven nights’ B&B — with five in hotels and two camping — from £897pp, including internal travel, activities and some extra meals. Fly to Amman
4. Guided Oman tour
The landscape changes daily on this eight-night, small-group tour. After sightseeing in the old walled town of Muscat, you’ll unwind on Fins beach, swim in the natural valley pools of Wadi Bani Khalid, explore the vast Wahiba Sands desert, then journey into the Jebel Akhdar mountain range, with its steep canyons and remote villages. A goat auction, shopping in a mountain honey shop and a meal with an Omani women’s group are all quirky inclusions along the way.
Eight nights’ B&B — with seven in hotels and one camping — from £2,280pp, including internal travel, excursions and some extra meals. Fly to Muscat
- Discover our full guide to Oman
5. Twin-centre Dubai and Maldives
Combine a city break with a beach getaway on a twin-centre trip to Dubai and the Maldives, staying at four-star hotels throughout. Touch down in Dubai, with three nights to whizz round the city’s mega-malls, waterparks, upmarket restaurants and traditional souks, where you can stock up on souvenir spices and perfumes. Recover afterwards on the postcard-perfect white sands of the Maldives, where you’ll flit between a lounger-lined pool and the bath-warm sea, with its kaleidoscopic coral reef for snorkelling.
Eleven nights — with three B&B in Dubai and seven half-board in the Maldives — from £2,749pp, including flights and transfers (trailfinders.com)
6. Family-friendly beach resort in Abu Dhabi
Saadiyat Island is the premier fly-and-flop spot in Abu Dhabi, with its groomed white beaches, nature reserve and flash five-star resorts. Jumeirah Saadiyat stands right on the sand, surrounded by tropical gardens and with sleek minimal rooms in white and oatmeal, three outdoor swimming pools, a tennis court, an extensive fitness programme and kids’ and teens’ clubs. The island’s marina, with its waterfront restaurants and sightseeing boats, is within strolling distance. All the city’s big-ticket attractions — including its Louvre, Ferrari World and Warner Bros World theme park — are within a 20-minute drive.
Five nights’ half-board from £1,159pp, including flights and transfers