Majority of agents confirm sales drop-off amid Middle East conflict

More than half of travel agents surveyed in a snapshot poll by trade marketing body Tipto a month after the start of the war against Iran say sales have fallen year on year.

The survey of 103 frontline agents asked whether sales were up, down or on a par with the same time last year.

In total, 60% of respondents said sales were down on this time last year. Almost a third, 27%, said sales were on a par with this time in 2025, and 13% said sales were up.

Asked about whether clients were most worried about the war in the Middle East or the cost-of-living crisis, just over half, 52%, said customers were concerned about both when it came to booking a holiday.

More agents said clients were worried about the war, with 41% citing it as the main concern among customers compared with 4% for the cost of living, while just 3% said neither issue was a concern.

In terms of forward business, 43% of agents said there was more interest for the summer months than for lates while 26% said more enquiries were for the next three months rather than the peak summer holiday. Around a third (31%) said demand was for both time periods.

In feedback comments to Tipto’s survey, agents said enquiries were continuing but clients were increasingly holding off from booking the longer the war went on.

One agency said March had been the quietest booking month in 19 years as an agent while another said demand had dropped off by 70% since the start of the conflict and another said sales had fallen particularly in the last two weeks.

Agents also told the survey that clients were starting to raise concerns about holiday supplements due to the current fuel crisis and its impact on the airline sector.