Germany is nervously checking information from the Middle East. They will suffer financially

This year’s ITB tourism fair is taking place in an atmosphere of uncertainty. The participants’ eyes are turned towards their phone screens, which show more and more new news from Iran, the Persian Gulf region, Israel and other Middle Eastern countries. The rocket fire that has been ongoing since Saturday not only hits physical targets, but is also a huge blow to the tourism industry.

German travel fairs and the entire industry will suffer from the war

The event itself is also suffering. Some exhibitors and participants cannot appear due to traffic paralysis and closed airspace over Middle Eastern countries. There are also safety concerns. Representatives of countries involved in the conflict are checking reports from their home countries and wondering how long the war may last and how far it will escalate.

Experts do not hide the fact that the conflict spreading so widely in the region is a great challenge for the tourism industry. Thousands of canceled flights, hotel reservations, attempts to postpone dates and organize holidays again on new, still uncertain dates. The situation is saved by the Persian Gulf countries, which themselves pay for tourists’ unexpected stays in hotels, waiting for the resumption of air traffic.

At the ITB fair, it is clearly visible that the Middle East is an important region for tourism. The sites from there are the largest and located in the best locations. This direction is favored by the Germans themselves, who are increasingly choosing the United Arab Emirates or Oman. The tourism industry across the Oder is also experiencing good times, recording the best results since 2005 (64% of Germans went on holiday for more than 5 days in 2025).