The conflict in the Middle East is rapidly changing the dynamics of tourism markets. Some of the world's most popular tourist destinations are seeing a sharp decline in package sales, while Albania appears to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this situation.
Sales of travel packages to Greece in the French market have marked a significant drop of 25% in the first ten days of March, with the outbreak of war in the Middle East and the uncertainty created among travelers having had a significant impact on demand in a number of destinations and not exclusively in those located near the war zone.
According to the new Orchestra barometer for L'Écho touristique, Greece may be somewhat far from the "war zone", but the drop observed in the bookings of organized holidays in France for Greece shows that the impact is not limited to narrow geographical borders and the duration of the geopolitical turmoil seems to be the most decisive factor in avoiding a domino effect on international tourism.
As reflected in the latest barometer data, in the period from March 1 to 10, 2026, holiday sales through French travel agencies fell by 17.6%, compared to the same period in 2025.
Among the destinations that "suffer" the most from the war in the Middle East is Egypt (-67.3%), which nevertheless recorded a strong increase in February (+25%), due to the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Furthermore, Greece (-25.6%), Tunisia (29.5%) and Portugal (38.4%) recorded a drop of more than 25% in sales volume, which confirms that French travelers are “waiting” at least until the war ends and relative normality returns.
Turkey and Egypt among the big "losers", Albania a big "winner"
Turkey and Egypt recorded the largest declines, with sales in the French market “falling” by 67.6% and 67.3% respectively during the period under review, which proves that the effects of the war are starting to “spread” more widely.
French tourist reservations
On the other hand is Spain, which is at the top of the rankings, limiting losses to -1.5%, acting as a "safe haven" for French travelers.
Meanwhile, metropolitan France is performing well, as are more remote island destinations such as Guadeloupe and the Dominican Republic.
Of particular interest is the case of Albania, which continues its rapid growth of 171% in sales of organized holidays in the French market, a fact attributed to good air service.
Significant losses in Asia
In a globalized tourism economy, Asian destinations are the ones most affected by the effects of the war. This is because many travelers booked tickets through hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Doha. However, direct flights increase costs, which could prevent potential demand.
In the first ten days of March, significant declines were observed in Thailand (-51.6%), Indonesia (-63.6%), Vietnam (-39.5%) and India (-30.1%). Japan was an exception (-0.5%), although its popularity declined with some travel agents, as it was the only Asian country to remain in the top 20 for holiday package sales in France.
The Orchestra Destination Barometer for L'Écho touristique corresponds to sales made by travel agents in French travel agencies, both online and at physical points of sale.
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