June 17, 2025, 5:17 am | Read time: 3 minutes
The Foreign Office issues a travel warning for non-essential stays in the Gulf region, which also affects trips to Dubai. What does this mean for travelers who have already booked?
Travelers planning a trip to Dubai or other countries in the Gulf region in the coming days should contact their travel organizer early. This is advised by the German Travel Association (DRV). The reason for this recommendation is the tightened advisories from the Foreign Office: Since Friday, due to the mutual airstrikes between Israel and Iran, all non-essential travel to the entire Gulf region is strongly discouraged.
The updated warning specifically affects the United Arab Emirates with Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan. The travel advisories state that the security situation in the region is “extremely volatile.” It is also emphasized: “Airspace closures can occur at any time.”
Overview
Travel Organizers Monitor the Situation
According to a spokesperson for the German Travel Association (DRV), companies in the travel industry are closely monitoring the current situation. Through the association, they are in close contact with the Foreign Office to be able to react quickly if necessary. The safety of travelers is the top priority. Vacationers who have booked a package tour with an organizer can rely on the well-established safety management of the providers.
If trips to the Gulf region cannot proceed as planned due to current developments, affected guests whose trips have not yet started will be proactively contacted by their respective organizer. “They have the option to rebook to another destination or time period free of charge,” the spokesperson explains. In the event of a cancellation, payments already made will be refunded.
There is also provision for vacationers currently in the affected regions: Should an early return trip be necessary, the travel organizers, together with their local teams, will arrange transfers and return flights to Germany. The DRV represents a multitude of travel agencies and tour operators.
Also of interest: Dubai plans to build a floating mega spa
Earthquakes in Popular Travel Destinations – What Travelers Need to Know
Extreme storms and flooding in Spain – what vacationers need to know
No Snow in the Arctic Circle? Tour Operator Cancels Trips to Lapland
The Difference Between Travel Advisory and Travel Warning
A travel advisory issued by the Foreign Office—currently for travel to several countries in the Gulf region—points out existing risks but does not constitute an official travel warning. According to the ministry, a travel warning is issued when “every traveler faces a specific danger to life and limb.” Currently, this includes Israel and Iran.
BILD Travel: Discover the best hotels in Chioggia now!
While a travel warning does not mean a formal travel ban, travel organizers often use it as a basis for their decisions—such as whether to continue offering trips to certain countries. When a travel warning is in effect, customers usually have the option to cancel already booked package tours free of charge. Such a warning is often considered an indication of so-called extraordinary circumstances or force majeure.
Even if the Foreign Office generally advises against travel to a particular country, travel organizers sometimes draw consequences from this and remove affected destinations from their programs. Individual travelers, on the other hand, must independently weigh the risks they are personally willing to take.
With material from dpa