West Asia tensions jolt leisure travel plans from coastal districts

Mangaluru: Leisure travel from coastal Karnataka to Gulf destinations has been hit hard as tensions linked to the Iran–Israel conflict sparked cancellations and uncertainty across the sector.Travel agents said bookings to Dubai and other Gulf countries scheduled over the next few days were called off, with travellers postponing or dropping plans amid safety concerns and shifting advisories. Flight path changes and airspace restrictions also disrupted connectivity to other international destinations.Eulalia D'Souza, proprietor of Lia Travels and Tours, said her firm saw cancellations not only to the Gulf countries but also to Vietnam and Sri Lanka, citing the closure of key air corridors and uncertainty over onward travel. She said some clients were stranded in Dubai after airspace closures and later returned to their hometowns on special flight provisions.William D'Souza, managing director of Globe Travel, said his company recorded cancellations mainly for Gulf destinations and noted rising uncertainty over an Israel pilgrimage tour scheduled in April. He said travellers were monitoring developments closely and were hesitant to commit to itineraries that could be hit by sudden route changes or security escalations.Vathika Pai of Nirmala Travels said that group bookings to the UAE, planned for next week, were cancelled, reflecting a broader pause as customers weighed risks and possible last-minute disruptions.Vikram Travels and Resorts India Pvt Ltd, based in Mangaluru, had lined up three UAE sightseeing trips in April, each with 48 passengers. Regional in-charge Subrahmanya HP said the company cancelled the tours and was unsure whether conditions would stabilise for similar departures planned in May. He said leisure travellers were unwilling to take on additional stress linked to the evolving situation and preferred to defer travel.Cruise tourism linked to Mangaluru port is also on edge. Sources said a passenger cruise carrying 619 passengers and 400 crew was scheduled to call at Mangaluru on Sunday, with two more cruises planned for April and May. As these itineraries include port calls in Gulf countries, stakeholders said they feared route changes or dropped calls depending on the security environment and decisions by cruise operators.