DUBAI (dpa-AFX) – According to an industry association, the economy in the Middle East is currently losing revenue of around 600 million US dollars (520 million euros) per day due to a slump in travel activity as a result of the Iran war. The London-based World Tourism Association (WTTC) said that the airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain, which are important for international air traffic, normally receive around 526,000 passengers per day. Since the war began almost two weeks ago, the airports have been closed or only usable to a very limited extent.
The estimate of around $600 million in lost revenue per day is based on the WTTC forecast for the Middle East for the current year. It predicted spending by international visitors of around $207 billion before the outbreak of the latest conflict. Any disruption to travel will quickly lead to significant economic consequences for the tourism industry and for local companies that rely on travelers’ spending.
It is currently not possible to accurately record the lost income for the countries affected by the Iran war and its consequences. Even with rough estimates, many unknown factors remain. However, it is undisputed that the region and its important airlines – including Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways – are currently losing massive amounts of income./jbz/DP/zb
