Despite rising tensions in the Middle East, UAE residents are pressing ahead with their summer travel plans, and travel agents report no cancellations, even as customers seek clarity on refund policies should the situation deteriorate.
"Summer travel is continuing, and people are travelling," he added.
Naushad Karkala, a mobile phone trader in Dubai's Deira market and resident of Abu Hail, will proceed with his travel plans.
Al Suwaidi said the recent developments have not changed the family's holiday plans and that they will continue to monitor official updates before travelling.
For now, travel agents said that the peak summer holiday season is continuing as expected, with residents choosing to stay informed rather than cancel their trips.
[Editor's Note: For the latest updates on how US-Iran hostilities have escalated since a 14-point deal was signed on June 12, follow the Khaleej Times live blog.]
Despite rising tensions in the Middle East, UAE residents are pressing ahead with their summer travel plans, and travel agents report no cancellations, even as customers seek clarity on refund policies should the situation deteriorate.
Mir Wasim Raja, manager at International Travel Services, part of Galadari, said most enquiries have been about what would happen if the conflict escalates. "People are asking about the refund procedure if the situation worsens, but we are not seeing cancellations," he said.
Raja said if authorities announce travel restrictions or airspace closures, airlines will follow their policies on refunds or rebooking. However, travellers who cancel on their own due to concerns would receive refunds in accordance with the fare conditions of their tickets. "Summer travel is continuing, and people are travelling," he added.
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Ahmed Salah, an Egyptian lawyer who lives in Sharjah, is due to fly to Cairo with his wife and two children on July 18 before travelling to his hometown of Alexandria for their annual summer break.
They booked their tickets last month and said the renewed US-Iran tensions have not affected their plans. While Salah will return to the UAE after 15 days, his family will stay in Egypt until August 28.
"We are following the latest updates regularly, but we haven't thought about cancelling our trip," he said. "During the previous escalation, residents in the UAE remained safe. We expect the authorities and airlines to take the necessary measures if anything changes."
Naushad Karkala, a mobile phone trader in Dubai's Deira market and resident of Abu Hail, will proceed with his travel plans. His family will fly to Mangaluru on July 19 and stay in India until early September. Karkala plans to join them on August 10 after finishing work commitments in the UAE.
"We are not worried enough to cancel our trip. We hope the conflict ends soon so everyone can live peacefully. For now, we are continuing with our plans while keeping an eye on any updates."
The conflict escalated after the US launched fresh strikes on Iran on July 8, saying the operation was aimed at keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping. The strikes prompted a wider regional response, with Iran expanding its retaliation beyond direct US targets. On July 12, Tehran again launched attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Jordan, describing them as a response to repeated US aggression. The UAE also activated a missile alert on Sunday, but later confirmed that the detected threats were outside its borders and that the country's security situation remained stable.
Despite these escalations, some residents have not delayed new holiday bookings.
Abdullah Al Suwaidi said he is planning a family holiday to Zanzibar later this summer and expects to book the tickets soon. "My children have wanted to visit Zanzibar for a long time. They want to enjoy the beaches after seeing the videos on social media and experience a new place together as a family, so we are planning to finalise the bookings soon."
Al Suwaidi said the recent developments have not changed the family's holiday plans and that they will continue to monitor official updates before travelling.
For now, travel agents said that the peak summer holiday season is continuing as expected, with residents choosing to stay informed rather than cancel their trips.
