The council’s chief executive Lynda Keene said while it was not good news, it was a relief that the impact was not being felt during a peak season.
Photo: 123RF
Tourism operators are being hit with international visitor cancellations due to flight disruptions as the Middle East war continues, an industry survey shows.
The Tourism Export Council’s “rapid snapshot survey” of tourism operators found 77 percent of about 70 respondents had visitors from the United Kingdom and Europe cancel travel during March and April 2026.
Many said the cancellations were linked directly to airline flight cancellations, route disruptions or reduced availability on flights transiting Middle East hubs.
Visitors from outside the UK and Europe didn’t appear to be affected, it said.
The council’s chief executive Lynda Keene said while it was not good news, it was a relief that the impact was only being felt at the tail end of the international tourism season, which runs October to March.
“If this had happened in October or November, members would be feeling very, very concerned about how they might get through the summer,” she said.
“We’ve only lost three weeks, really, of the season.”
Bookings for next season were largely unaffected, but concern would grow if travel disruption in places like Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi continued, said Keene.
However the country could also benefit since it’s seen as a safe travel destination, she said.
“There may be visitors, maybe from US or Canada or other countries that might see New Zealand as a safer haven.
“There’s always some form of opportunity that crops up when travellers still wish to travel, they still have the disposal income to travel, and they want to look for alternative destinations.”
It was important that New Zealand continued to welcome international visitors, she said.
“Strong communication with offshore trade partners will be key to ensuring the destination remains front of mind for travellers looking to adjust their travel plans,” she said.
The survey covered providers of accommodation, attractions, transport and guided tour experiences.
West Coast suffering
Development West Coast Chief Executive Heath Milne told Morning Report the region’s tourism industry had been growing before now.
“We have seen already international visitors are dropping, and looking at cancellations going forward,” he said.
“I don’t think that’s just about fuel prices, I think that’s about confidence in … geopolitics and what’s going on around the world.”
Westport is also losing its only air service, Originair, from May.
“They have struggled a little bit lately to make that profitable, and this has just tipped them over the edge,” said Milne.
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