Iran War Drives Middle East Tourism Slump — and a Global Demand Shift

The war with Iran has sent tourism across the Middle East into a sharp decline, while arrivals elsewhere in the world continued to grow.

Arrivals to the Middle East dropped 14% in the first quarter of 2026, according to data released by UN Tourism on Tuesday. Occupancy rates in the region fell from 75% in January to 48% in March.

International tourism overall rose 2% during the first quarter, with demand redirecting to other r