The ongoing war between the US/Israel and Iran is predicted to see an increase in high-end travellers from North America heading to Australia, suggests US luxury travel expert, Ignacio Maza.
With the sentiment from US travellers being Australia is a “safe” destination, concerned holidaymakers bound for Europe, the Middle East and onwards to the subcontinent for the foreseeable future, may opt to alter their travel plans and head down under, Signature Travel Network‘s Special Advisor said.
“It all depends on how long the war will last,” Maza told a group of Signature Travel Network members in Sydney last week, highlighting that other deciding factors will also come into play, including the US Congress elections in November, while also taking into consideration the drawn out campaigns the United States has had other parts of the Middle East, in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Some people will be apprehensive about travel. There’s no doubt about that,” he said about US travellers.
“And they’ll want to go some place else. In fact, I think some of them may come here, because Australia is perceived as safe. We could go to Australia, no problem.”
American Airlines at Brisbane International Airport | Credit: Brisbane Airport
Maza, a Cuban-born American living in New York City, said “Travel may be redirected to other parts as well. That may very well happen with Europe. Travel to Europe may suffer. To the Middle East… absolutely it will.”
The Signature executive used an example of Egypt, which despite not being attacked in the current Middle East conflict, saw some cruise lines cancel sailings on the Nile shortly after the war began, only to reinstate voyages a few days later, “which is really confusing.”
“Imagine telling a client ‘you’re going‘, ‘you’re not going‘…’okay, you’re going after all‘. That’s really reassuring,” he said sarcastically.