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'Underlying confidence in travel' intact despite 'clear shift' in travel patterns, Advantage chief insists

Middle East
Dea Jusufi
18 March 2026

Underlying confidence in travel is "undeniable" according to Advantage Travel Partnership chief Julia Lo Bue-Said despite changes in booking patterns – rather than drops in demand – owing to the war in the Middle East.

Tui and Advantage Travel Partnership chiefs
(Credit: Tui/Advantage)

Both Tui and Advantage Travel Partnership's bosses pointed to a late surge in Caribbean bookings (Credit: Tui/Advantage)

Lo Bue-Said said customers are continuing to book Easter and summer breaks, but are increasingly opting for destinations perceived as more stable, with the western Mediterranean – including Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands – emerging as clear winners.

Her comments mirror trends seen across the sector, with operators reporting weaker demand for parts of the eastern Mediterranean such as Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt, but a corresponding uplift elsewhere as travellers switch plans rather than cancel outright.