MOSCOW, March 11. /TASS/. The Russian tourist traffic to Persian Gulf countries may drop by 40-50% in case of a lingering conflict in the Middle East with a low-level fighting phase and geopolitical instability in spring and further on, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) said.

"The conflict is being protracted. The low-level phase with the use of weapons and geopolitical instability will remain for the whole spring and later on. In this case, the Russian tourist flow to Persian Gulf countries may contract by 40-50% (meaning the loss of 600,000-700,000 trips in this direction alone). However, the cumulative effect from closing of transfer hubs and the expected rise in prices at alternative routes (via China, Istanbul or CIS) will be much stronger," the experts said.

The decline in tourist trips abroad in 2026 may be up to 5% year on year, the association added.