Travel expert Simon Calder has issued a stark three-word warning for anyone planning to fly to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following the lifting of a travel advisory by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The FCDO had previously advised against all but essential travel to the UAE, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait, due to heightened tensions between the US and Iran. However, after the two nations reached a peace deal to end hostilities, the advisory has been withdrawn.
Travel Insurance Now Valid Again
Speaking outside the FCDO, Calder confirmed that travel insurance for the region is 'once again valid,' a significant development for the more than one million Britons who visit the UAE annually. He noted that the FCDO's decision came after the US and Iran signed an agreement to halt the conflict, but the office also cautioned that the 'situation remains unpredictable' given ongoing regional tensions.
Calder suggested that travelers could now visit the region 'with some confidence,' but he echoed the FCDO's warning that they must be 'ready for trouble' at any moment. He stated, 'I'm at the Foreign Office which has just changed its advice for travellers going to the Gulf region, in particular Dubai, which last year was visited by 1.4 million British travellers. As from now, the no-go warning which prevailed for the whole of the UAE, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as to the countries of Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, has been lifted. The Foreign Office still warns that you need to be ready for trouble to resume at any time, but it means that travel insurance is once again valid and anybody planning a trip to the UAE or Qatar or elsewhere in the region can do so with some confidence.'
Impact on Tourism and Airlines
The conflict, which began when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February, severely impacted the tourism industry in the Gulf states. Many travelers use these countries not only for holidays but also as transit points for journeys to Asia and Australia. The FCDO's ruling means holidaymakers can now return without jeopardizing their travel insurance, but flight services have not yet fully resumed.
Virgin Atlantic suspended flights until winter 2027 following the outbreak of war, and a spokesperson confirmed that this remains the case. British Airways announced earlier in June that it would not resume flights to the UAE until October 2026. However, Emirates has maintained flight operations throughout the conflict.
Calder added, 'The immediate effect, I think, is going to be a big marketing campaign by the giant airlines: Emirates of Dubai, Etihad of Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways based in Doha. They will be wanting to get people to both connect through their hubs, but also to take summer holidays. Be warned, it is extremely hot with average daily highs around 40°C. But it means that anybody who's planning to travel perhaps to Asia or to Australia now will be able to travel with confidence through one of the Gulf hubs. In addition, I imagine that airfares will fall because the Asian carriers will not be able to command such a premium.'
He concluded, 'Stand by for some really good holiday offers, but I personally won't be seeing you on the beach in Dubai until about November.'
