Travel advisories for the Middle East had eased last month, but the warnings are now back as fighting continues and ceasefire talks break down. Gulf countries are responding to weak tourism and low hotel occupancies with incentives, from airline fare sales to visa liberalization, aimed at bringing travelers back.
The U.S. Embassy and Consulate in the UAE warned Americans on July 17 to exercise caution amid a “complex security situation.” Canada has raised its UAE advisory back to Level 3, warning against non-essential travel, and has upgraded Saudi Arabia to advise against non-essential travel as well — a step up from its earlier warnings to avoid certain areas only. The UK also updated its UAE guidance, warning regional attacks could resume on short notice.
Australia upgraded Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Jordan to Level 3 on July 21, joining Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE on non-essential travel warnings. New Zealand followed with its own Level 3 alert,