Israeli conflict “tremb” Albanians freeze holiday reservations

Tourist operators report that new reservations for Turkey have been frozen.

Tourist agencies report that, although presumptions were active by the end of March “early booking” for the summer season, the pace of booking has dropped dramatically in recent days.

Packages are still on sale, promotional prices have not withdrawn, but customers are reluctant to confirm. “We don't have a wave of cancellations, but we don't even have a new reservation”, let operators from Ilirida Travel and Tours know.

At the same time, the families that have reserved in January and February are calling to be interested if the security situation can affect Turkey and, if the conflict escalates, if they have a recovery opportunity.

These days, according to information from Genith Travel and Hima Travel Agency, the most frequent question is no longer for the hotel or the service, but for ensuring the return of the money for security reasons.

If tensions last, agencies could see a shift of demand towards destinations considered safer than Spain, Italy or Greece, Monitor reports Periscope.

Turkey has been the main choice of family holidays for Albanians for years. Destinations such as Antalya, Bodrumi or Belek have become standard products of summer packages, thanks to combination of competitive prices, the “all string formula” and direct flights from Tirana with cards.

For many families, summer holidays abroad are synonymous with Turkey, especially for the children's segment.

According to previous market data, Turkey is ranked among the top destinations sold by Albanian agencies for the June period, with thousands of packages contracted annually.

The early bid usually starts as early as December) and peaks until the end of March, a period when traditionally provides a considerable portion of the seasonal volume.

Tourism experts say risk perception has immediate impact on consumer decision making, even when destination is not directly the conflict zone.

The geography of the region, news of military tension, and uncertainty about airspace is enough to get families to wait. In practice, it translates into postponing the decision, not necessarily to abort.

If the situation stabilizes within the next few weeks, operators expect reservations to resume at a faster pace, possibly with a shift towards later months of the season.

But if tensions last, the current freeze could turn into a real drop in sales, forcing agencies to review price contracts and strategies.

In addition to Turkey, the uncertainty created by the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran could affect other destinations that Albanians choose for holiday or gycity break in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Egypt with Red Sea resorts, as well as Jordan, are among the markets that will feel the effect of delaying decisions on new bookings, even when no conflict areas are. /Periscope/