Rebooking efforts focus beyond Gulf Travel Weekly reporters


Operators report most customers in the Middle East affected by the conflict have now been repatriated as their focus shifts to those whose holidays involve flights via the Gulf to onward destinations. Travelpack managed about 185


bookings in affected regions in the first week of the crisis including “a significant number” transiting through hubs such as Dubai and Doha. Director Vishal Patel said most


repatriations and reroutings had been resolved and the operator was now managing a smaller number of clients departing in the coming weeks. Travelpack covered costs beyond the three-night accommodation


requirements, reaching up to 10 nights for certain clients, and established a crisis team to help agents. However, rebooking flights has


proved “exceptionally difficult” because of severely limited inventory and “exorbitant” prices – leading to several cancellations. Blue Bay Travel chief executive


Alistair Rowland said: “We have people in the Maldives, Mauritius, Bali, Thailand, Australia. We’re doing a pretty good job, but it’s challenging.” He said lots of clients were paying


for additional accommodation beyond the first three nights of being stranded, adding: “Insurers are not going to be interested.” Inside Travel repatriated the


“handful” of clients it had flying via


Intrepid aims to top AU$1bn in sales for first time this year


Ella Sagar


Intrepid Travel is aiming to surpass AU$1 billion in bookings for the first time this year despite the war in the Middle East affecting operations and denting consumer confidence. The adventure travel specialist


has paused trips across Egypt, Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia, but is “hopeful” of restarting tours in Egypt from the start of April. In a webcast with Travel Weekly


editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley, chief executive James Thornton said Egypt had been “one of the standout performers” in terms of demand in the months leading up to the conflict.


6 19 MARCH 2026 He reported some customers with


tours to or transiting through the Middle East were looking to change their bookings to other destinations, while others were “waiting to see what happens” in April and May or were postponing to later in the year. “We went from having record


sales in January and February to the 10 days that followed, which were tough in terms of consumer demand,” said Thornton. “It’s an unsettling time, but hopefully we’re going to get some stability in the weeks ahead. It’s a challenging time for everyone who relies on global flight routes.” He added: “The great thing about being a global tour operator with 115


Getting clients back


from Asia and Australia was challenging if booked with Middle Eastern airlines


the Middle East when the conflict began but most of its flight-inclusive bookings were direct to the likes of Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. Dertour UK joint chief executive


Benjamin Boesch said 500-plus stranded customers had been brought home via charter or connecting flights and it now had “just a few left” to repatriate. Paul Hardwick, Fred Olsen Travel


retail director, said 27 bookings were affected initially, with a further 127 impacted during March. “Getting customers back from the


Far East and Australia in particular was challenging if booked with Middle Eastern airlines,” he said. Agents said the stress of juggling


cancellations and rerouting was compounded by a drop in enquiries. ArrangeMY Escape general


manager Jennifer Lynch and Holiday Village’s Andrea Smith called for greater flexibility from airlines, while Wael Seliman, Cruise Monks managing director, said financial support or an industry-backed contingency scheme would help


during crises. i Agent Diary, page 22


Intrepid trips to Oman are on hold; Inset: James Thornton


countries is there’s always somewhere in the world people can access.” Thornton revealed the company’s


trading from Australia and New Zealand – which accounts for 40% of its overall business – had suffered the biggest hit because “more than 50% of flight routes [from the region] tend to go through the Middle East”. He was speaking after the tour


operator reported the “best results” in its history for 2025, buoyed by a “phenomenal” level of bookings through the UK trade. Intrepid recorded a 26% year-on-


year jump in bookings to AU$873 million (£458 million) for the year, while revenue from travel in the


year rose by 29% to AU$809 million (£429 million) and earnings before interest and taxes were up 26% to AU$53.9 million (£28.6 million). The UK market grew by 19%,


with business through the trade ending the year with 28% growth. Thornton said: “Notwithstanding


challenges in the Middle East, we are hoping that 2026 will be the year we finally go through the AU$1 billion bookings mark, or £500 million.”


Watch the webcast with James Thornton in full at travelweekly.co.uk


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Shutterstock/lightpoet


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