It's only 1 July, but already, it doesn't half feel like a long year. After a promising start to 2026, the US and Israel's assault on Iran in late February prompted three months of conflict, and shut one of the world's busiest shipping routes.
So beyond the closure of several major destinations in the Middle East, the loss of transit options, and the subsequent impacts on consumer confidence and household finances, travel has been beset by months of frenzied headlines about fuel shortages. A perfect storm.
