The ongoing Middle East conflict involving Israel, Iran, the United States, Lebanon, and Palestine represents the most significant disruption to international tourism since COVID-19. Its effects extend globally through disrupted aviation hubs in the Gulf, restricted airspace affecting Asia-Europe travel, and threats to shipping routes, alongside direct threats to tourism infrastructure worldwide.
Beyond direct military impacts, the crisis influences global tourism through elevated oil and energy costs, affecting aviation fuel prices and transport expenses. This energy crisis, reportedly exceeding previous major oil shocks combined, threatens airline viability and has implications for the sustainability and future trajectory of tourism infrastructure and carbon-dependent transport networks.
The journal invites research examining how the crisis affects tourist behavior, destination competitiveness, industry resilience, and government and business responses across international, regional, national, and local contexts, as well as its broader implications for tourism governance and energy futures.