ATOR experts have assessed the potential timeframe for tourism recovery in the Middle East

Tourism in the Middle East could recover by early summer if the conflicting parties in the region observe a two-week ceasefire, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).

Restoring Middle Eastern countries "on the tourist map" could take several months if a ceasefire between Iran and the United States is reached, according to ATOR Executive Director Maya Lomidze.

She emphasized that the United Arab Emirates is the most popular destination in the region. "The UAE, like the Russian tourism market, will, for its part, I believe, make every effort to ensure that everything quickly returns within a few months, by early summer. If not to full capacity, then at least to 60-70% of what it was during the same period last year," the executive director added.

She also reported that after the ban on tour sales to the Middle East from February 28 to March 10, the Russian tourism industry suffered losses of about 90 mln USD.

Experts from the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RUTI) predict that the resumption of daily flights to Middle Eastern countries is possible by the start of the May holidays. If the parties to the conflict in the Middle East maintain a ceasefire for two weeks, Russian airlines will also resume regular flights to the region, as they did before the conflict.

On March 27, Federal Air Transport Agency announced the extension of flight restrictions to Iran and Israel until April 17. The Agency also reported that it had worked with the ministry to develop alternate flight routes to safely operate flights to the Persian Gulf countries.