As the conflict in the Middle East disrupts traditional flight paths and injects uncertainty into global travel, the Indian outbound sector is navigating cautious consumers and rising costs. The twin pressures of geopolitics and economics are forcing a strategic rethink.
Hazel Jain
While the appetite for international travel — particularly the perennial love affair with European summers — remains fundamentally strong, the travel fraternity reports a palpable ‘wait-and-watch’ sentiment among travellers. Their clients are increasingly prioritising flexibility, seeking alternative destinations, and relying on them to navigate the turbulence, as the industry braces for what could be a decisive month for summer bookings. It is one of those moments when the importance of travel agents becomes clearer than ever. Pradeep Saboo, Director, Guideline Travels Holidays India, believes that the sentiments to travel are not the best right now. “A few bookings have been kept on hold and a few queries in the pipeline have been postponed for later decisions. Luckily, we still have about two months left before the season kicks in and hopefully in the next few days if the war stops, the season can be revived,” he says.
He, however, cautions, “We have to be patient but be fully prepared to handle the last-minute rush and pressure to execute the bookings. The depreciating rupee has done remarkable damage to the costings for most international tours. Most packages now don’t feel value for money anymore. Many currencies like South African rand or Singapore dollars have almost appreciated 20 per cent in the past 12 months.”
Dharmesh Advani, National General Secretary, Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA) and Director, Bombay Travels, adds that the unpredictability of Gulf flights has left a direct impact on European carriers. “The increase in airfare is also affecting travel. It looks difficult for things to get back to normalise anytime soon. Our advice to clients is to book refundable hotels and flights and ensure travel insurance is purchased,” he says.
Despite the evolving situation in the Middle East and currency fluctuations, the appetite for European summer travel among Indian travellers remains strong, says Arun Iyer, Managing Director, My Golf Tours. “The reduction in TDS is another encouraging sign. In fact, such situations reinforce the value of professional travel advisors who can help travellers navigate uncertainties and ensure seamless journeys.”
Ashmi Dharia, Founder, Gypsy Soul Holidays, however, sees only short-term uncertainty. “Some clients are asking more questions or looking for flexible bookings, and some are postponing trips until things become clearer. We are also seeing a few travellers choosing destinations like Japan, Korea, Australia, or New Zealand instead of Europe. That said, most travellers who have already booked their summer holidays are continuing with their plans. For now, it’s still a bit of a wait-and-watch situation,” she says.
Commenting over the currency fluctuations, Dharia shares that it rarely stops people from travelling altogether, instead, re-adjusting their plans to choose shorter itineraries and affordable destinations.
As a DMC managing 10 destinations, SSR Travel Solutions is observing a mixed impact on summer bookings. Sapneal Rao, Founder & CEO of the company, says, “Destinations such as Oman, Bahrain, and Jordan have been directly affected. We are also witnessing a noticeable drop in bookings for destinations like Azerbaijan, Mauritius, Kenya, and Tanzania, as travellers are becoming more cautious about long-haul and geopolitically sensitive regions. However, this shift has also led to increased demand for safer and familiar leisure destinations like Bali and Sri Lanka.”
Mahendra Vakharia, Managing Director, Pathfinders Holidays, does not see the situation cool down anytime soon. “We are constantly watching for updates from airlines and suggesting alternative destinations to continue with their holiday plans and help them book it. To some extent, this is also impacting the choice of destination for the summer holiday,” he says.With matters outside the hands of agents, they are hoping against hope that things return to normal. One thing is for sure — the love for Europe remains. Mahendra Pratap Singh, Chairman, IATO Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh Chapter, says, “What has genuinely reassured us is that the demand for a European summer holiday among Indians has not gone in vain. People have been planning this for months.”
