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UAE: Holiday rental cancellations in the United Arab Emirates more than doubled at the end of February as rising tensions in the Middle East disrupted travel across the region.
Data from analytics firm AirDNA shows cancellations reached 8,450 units on 28 February. This compares with a nightly average of about 3,100 cancellations during the rest of the month.
The cancellation rate also increased sharply. This refers to the share of cancelled nights compared with the total nights booked. The rate rose to 43.8 per cent on 28 February, compared with an average of 14.5 per cent for the rest of February.
Most cancellations were for stays planned in March, according to AirDNA.
The rise comes as tensions between the US, Israel and Iran disrupted aviation in the region. Airspace closures in the UAE affected flights at Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, two of the world’s busiest international travel hubs.
Highlights
- UAE holiday rental cancellations reached 8,450 on 28 February
- Average cancellations earlier in February were about 3,100 per night
- Cancellation rate rose to 43.8 per cent, compared with 14.5 per cent earlier in the month
- Most cancellations were for March stays
