Dubai (AFP) – On Dubai’s artificial island, empty beaches stand in stark contrast to frantic hotel lobbies, where stranded tourists have taken shelter as they wait for a way home. Iran’s strikes on Gulf neighbours since Saturday, following the US-Israeli attack, forced the UAE to shut its airspace, blindsiding travellers who thought they were headed to one of the region’s safest holiday destinations. Dubai, which welcomed nearly 20 million visitors in 2025, has built its brand on safety and the global reach of its busy airport. Authorities said flights would resume from Monday evening but warned services would be limited.
Jake, a 31-year-old British financier who asked that his surname not be used, now hopes to fly out on Thursday after his Monday flight was cancelled. His stay at the Fairmont on The Palm with his pregnant wife and baby turned into a nightmare on Saturday night when part of an intercepted missile crashed just below their window. “We ran downstairs to the basement…from the 10th floor…we were petrified,” he told AFP. Stuck in the hotel since, he is among the few who have ventured outside despite fresh blasts heard in the city on Monday. Although he said authorities would cover their stay’s extra costs, Jake said they “just want to go back home”.
UK foreign minister Yvette Cooper told the BBC around 300,000 Britons were currently in Gulf countries, including tourists, residents, and those in transit. “We are sending out rapid deployment teams to the region to work with the travel industry, to work with local governments as well, to make sure that citizens can get support,” she said.
Germany also said Monday it would send civilian aircraft to Saudi Arabia and Oman to evacuate tourists stranded in the Middle East. Several people interviewed in Dubai said they were considering driving to one of those countries if the situation drags on. “But we don’t know if it’s safe to take the road,” said Hanna Botosh, 27, visiting from Hungary with her partner. “Everybody said it’s like the safest place and no violence…seeing a missile is a lot.”
Raphaelle, a 37-year-old French tourist spending her days in the lobby of the Marriott with her family, said she would take no chances. “We’re waiting to leave and, above all, waiting for information, because we have none from the French government…and none from Air France either,” she said. Contacted by AFP, the French embassy did not immediately respond.
Emirati authorities have issued repeated assurances to visitors and said they had covered accommodation costs for more than 20,200 passengers. But the crisis could leave a lasting mark on Dubai’s tourism sector — nearly 13 percent of its GDP — and on its carefully crafted image. Susana Almeida, a 56-year-old retiree from Portugal, said she had been impressed by the city but shaken by the past few days. “The first days we were here, we were in love with Dubai to the point where we were even thinking (of) buying an apartment. Now, I don’t know,” she said.
© 2024 AFP
