Iran war affects 17,000 bookings as travellers seek sun elsewhere – Lastminute

Travel agent Lastminute.com said war in the Middle East has impacted some 17,000 bookings, while holidaymakers are shifting towards alternative destinations like the Canary Islands and Sardinia.

The website, which offers holiday packages to destinations including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, said it was having to “adapt quickly” to travellers changing their preferences in light of the conflict.

The US-Israeli war with Iran, which escalated at the end of February, led to disruption and cancellations of some flights to Gulf states including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The airspace closures, coupled with consumer sentiment when it comes to travel taking a hit, affected approximately 17,000 bookings, Lastminute revealed.

It said the total volume of affected travel around the region is currently the equivalent of about a day and a half of its normal daily operations.

Despite the conflict influencing where and when people choose to book trips, the “overall intent to travel remains high”, according to Lastminute.

Consumers have been seeking reassurance and flexibility, and early booking patters indicate a shift in the preferences of travellers.

It noted increased demand toward alternative destinations such as Spanish archipelagos the Canary and Balearic Islands, Italian islands Sicily and Sardinia, and other European city breaks.

Lastminute’s chief executive Alessandro Petazzi said: “We continue to closely monitor the evolving situation in the Middle East, with supporting our customers remaining our top priority.

“At the same time, Lastminute.com’s flexible, pan-European model enables us to adapt quickly as travel patterns evolve, with demand naturally rebalancing across destinations.”

The Netherlands-based company reported a 15% jump in revenues to 361 million euro (£315 million) for the 2025 financial year, compared with the year before.

Adjusted earnings before tax and other costs increased by a third to 55 million euro (48 million).

The company said it was remaining “vigilant” against the geopolitical situation in the Middle East, but added that it was sticking to forecasts of a roughly 10% increase in revenues and profits in the year ahead.

Meanwhile, European airlines were continuing to fly millions of passengers around the continent last month despite the impact to travel in the Middle East.

Low-cost airline Wizz Air, which typically runs flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, said it flew 5.51 million passengers in March, 8.4% higher than the same month a year ago.

It highlighted the expansion of its aircraft bases into regions including Montenegro and parts of Italy.

Rival budget airline Ryanair said it flew 15.8 million passengers in March, up 5% on the prior year.