Countries

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said all Gulf countries oppose a toll in the Strait of Hormuz during a tour of the region following US-Iran talks. Rubio added, “There isn’t a nation on Earth that supports having to pay money to go through the straits”.

For the first time in 48 years, Japan has changed its visa fee, rising by a staggering five times for foreign nationals, who will need to pay an extra £55 when visiting

Japan has dramatically hiked its visa fees for tourists, with the cost of entry now a whopping five times higher.

From Wednesday, 1 July, many foreign nationals travelling to the country home to Mount Fuji will be required to pay 15,000 yen (£69.99) for a single-entry visa, a sharp rise from the previous 3,000 yen (£14). Meanwhile, multi-entry visas will now set travellers back 30,000 yen (£139.98), jumping up from 6,000 yen (£28).

This represents a staggering fivefold increase, meaning visitors will fork out an additional £55.99 for a single trip, or £111.98 for a multi-entry visa. Remarkably, this marks the first time Japan has raised its visa fees since 1978 — a full 48 years ago.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the changes were made to “reflect inflation and exchange rate fluctuations”. He added: “We do not anticipate that it will have an immediate impact on inbound tourism.”

The updated visa fees will apply to all applications submitted on or after 1 July, 2026, as the nation continues to experience a surge in visitor numbers. Last year alone, Japan welcomed a remarkable 42.7 million international tourists, with iconic destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka remaining amongst the most sought-after, reports the Express.

The good news for Brits is that Japan has reciprocal visa exemption arrangements with 74 countries and regions, allowing citizens to enter for short-term stays without a visa. UK passport can stay for 90 days visa-free.

Japan’s new visa charge places it among the pricier destinations to enter globally. Other nations with steep tourist visa costs include the UK, where a standard visitor visa costs £135, and Ghana, where travellers from non-African nations pay $260.

Some countries levy per-night charges, with Bhutan ranking among the most expensive. A daily sustainable development levy of $100 is imposed per adult.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises that Brits travelling to Japan must make sure their passport remains valid for the duration of their visit. The FCDO states on its travel advice page: “No additional period of validity is required. You need a blank page for your visa stamp.”

In guidance on obtaining a visit, the Foreign Office adds: “You can get a visa on arrival in Japan for tourism or business for up to 90 days. You do not need to apply before you travel. If you need a multiple-entry visa, you must ask the immigration officials when you arrive. If you want to stay longer, you can apply at your nearest immigration office for an extension for another 90 days. Your passport must be valid for the period of the extension.”

The FCDO adds: “For long-term stays or to work or study, you must meet the Japanese government’s entry requirements. Check which type of visa you need. It is illegal to work in Japan without the correct visa, no matter how informal or temporary the work.

“If you overstay your permission to remain in Japan, you risk arrest, detention and a heavy fine. For residency information, see the Japanese Immigration Services Agency website and read about living in Japan.”

While there is no advice against travelling to Japan, the FCDO has warned about “global travel impacts due to escalation in the Middle East.” They stated: “Escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption, including airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights.

“Your travel plans may be affected, even if your destination is not in the Middle East. Before you travel:

• Check travel advice for any countries or territories you are transiting through
• Check for the latest updates from your airline or tour operator
• Review your travel insurance policy for coverage
• Monitor local and international media for the latest information and sign up for travel advice email alerts.”

For more information on travel to Japan, visit the Foreign Office travel advice website.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

The Foreign Office has issued fresh travel advice for 14 countries following the announcement of a ‘memorandum of understanding’ between the US and Iran amid Middle East tensions

Significant travel updates have been released by the Foreign Office for 14 countries after the US and Iran revealed a ‘memorandum of understanding’, in the wake of the Middle East conflict.

The Foreign Office has now removed its travel ban to destinations including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, while also providing additional updates for 12 other nations. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published new guidance on Thursday, 18 June, for the 14 countries amid “regional tensions”.

On the Foreign Office’s ‘warnings and insurance’ section for each nation, they confirmed: “The US and Iran have announced a memorandum of understanding in relation to the conflict in the Middle East.”

The complete list of nations receiving the updated guidance includes: Cyprus, Turkey, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Iran and Kuwait, reports the Express.

While the FCDO has warned of regional tensions, it “no longer advises against all but essential travel to the UAE”. Since March, there had been a warning in place against all but essential travel to the UAE, but with the update today (June 18), it’s the first time it’s been waived.

In additional guidance, the FCDO outlined that should “hostilities resume”, Brits should take the following steps:

• Read if you’re affected by a crisis abroad – GOV.UK. This includes guidance on “how to prepare for a crisis” with suggestions on what you might include in your emergency supplies and “what to do in a crisis”
• Sign up to FCDO Travel Advice email alerts
• Monitor local and international media for the latest information
• Sign up to local information alerts/resources and follow the instructions of the local authorities
• Keep your departure plans under review, and ensure your travel documents are up to date.

FROM seeing Shakira perform in Rio to a drinking cocktails in the world’s tallest cocktail bar – it’s fair to say I’ve been to a lot of countries in my career as a travel writer.

Since my first trip abroad 30 years ago, I’ve wracked up 60 countries… and counting.

Yet while I love a far-flung trip, some of my favourite cities are a bit closer to home, and MUCH cheaper to fly to.

So here are my 10 favourites which you can get to in just a few hours, and none of the flights there are more than £20.

Agadir

The Moroccan city is perfect for some cheap, quick, winter sun.

Agadir is ideal for those wanting relaxation and was even named the most affordable summer holiday destination earlier this year.

A highlight is Souk el Had, one of the largest markets in Morocco, and I recommend the White Beach Resort Taghazout just outside of the city for a relaxing stay, right on the beach.

Flights can be found with Ryanair for £14.99 from London Stansted or £17.99 from Edinburgh.

Seville

As one of Spain‘s most southern cities, you can expect some scorchingly good weather (just avoid the summers where it hits 40C).

Watch some flamenco, buy some famous Seville orange perfume or explore the Moorish Royal Alcazar Palace.

Make sure to stay at Only U – stays are around £100pp per night and it felt more exclusive members club than hotel thanks to the rooftop pool, onsite florist and bakery and VERY trendy rooms.

Flights can be found with Ryanair for £14.99 from London Stansted or £17.99 from Edinburgh.

Brussels

It was during a Christmas trip to Brussels that I realised it would actually make the perfect girly trip in summer.

I explored the Rue de Flandre neighbourhood – once named one of the world’s coolest – for noodle bars, pizzarias and cosy drinking spots.

I stayed at the Hilton Brussels Grand Palace hotel, with the fancy breakfast room being a highlight. Prices start at £185 for a double room.

Flights from Newcastle start from £14.99 with Ryanair.

Faro

Faro gets overlooked for just being the gateway to the Algarve, but it’s criminal to skip this stunning Portuguese city.

It has beautiful Caribbean-like islands just off the coast which are ideal day trips, costing just a few euros.

It is also home to 3HB the city’s only five star hotel complete with high spec rooms and rooftop bars with firepits perfect for Love Island style chats. Rooms start at £76 pp per night.

Flights start from £13 with Wizz Air from London Gatwick.

Madrid

The Spanish capital has quickly become my favourite place in the country for so many reasons.

There are fun neighbourhoods such as Malasana with bars and shops (try the fantastically decedant bakes in Santo) or visit on weekends to El Rastro, one of Europe‘s biggest flea markets.

If you’re on a budget you can’t go wrong with the recently opened easyHotel too, with rooms starting at £59 per night. It is an easy few metro stops from the city centre – also easy to use even if not used to underground networks.

Flights can be found with Ryanair from £14.99 from Bristol and London Stansted.

Milan

While Milan can be slated as one of the less-loved Italian cities, it is worth a weekend trip – IF you know where to go.

The street-art lined Navigli is popular with locals for its vibey restaurants lining the canal (go just off the main road to Iter for amazing wine and fun interiors).

Try NYX hotel, with double rooms from £156 per night. It is right beside the train station and has a rooftop terrace.

Flights start £14 with Wizz Air from London Luton or from £14.99 with Ryanair from Manchester and London Stansted.

Marbella

Marbella may be a beach club capital but in my opinion, off season is the best time to visit – as I found when I planned a trip in April.

This meant quiet dinners in the local-populated Taberna la Nina Del Pisto, or bar hopping from La Tienda to Vinalium Castillejos for cheap wine.

The Hard Rock Hotel is a hilarious place to stay – make sure to get the music-themed massage where music is played from speakers to the vibrations of the bed. Prices start at £120 per night for a double room.

Flights start from £14 with Wizz Air from London Gatwick, or with Ryanair from £14.99 when flying from Bristol, Birmingham, Newcastle, London Luton or Bournemouth.

Copenhagen

One of my favourite trips was when I was between jobs, and decided to spend a chic weekend in Copenhagen.

I brunched at Atelier September, explored the Fashion Museum and popped into Tivoli for a step back in time, as well as popped to see the famous Little Mermaid statue and Hans Christian Anderson grave.

Hotel SP34 – from £80 pp per night – is a must, if not just for the free wine and cheese hour ever evening…

Flights from Edinburgh and London Stansted from £14.99 with Ryanair or £16.99 from Bristol and Manchester.

Amsterdam

You might have already visited Amsterdam, but let me sell you on Amsterdam Noord.

Get the free ferry over from the main train station along with all the other cycling locals and before dinner and drinks at Next. Don’t forget some of the amazing art galleries and museums – STRAAT and NXT are worth a visit.

Stay at Bunk for a unique stay, built into a church with some VERY interesting artwork and a vibey bar. If you are on a tight budget a pod for one starts at £25.

Flights from London Southend from £14.99 with easyJet.

Palermo

You can’t visit Palermo without getting a famous Negroni and Bar Timi claim to have the best in the city (best chased by some fresh arancini at the food markets.

There are loads of flea markets and antique markets to explore, although you could also leave the city to find a beach club for the afternoon as well.

When it comes to hotels, there is the new NH Collection Palermo Palazzo Sitano which feels quintessentially Sicilian but is also in a great location. Prices start at around £95pp per night.

Flights from London Stansted start from £16.99 with Ryanair.

A 48-HOUR strike in Europe has already seen Eurostar trains cancelled – and more could follow.

Strikes across Italy and France today and tomorrow are impacting rail services including Eurostar trains to and from the UK.

Cancelled Eurostar trains include the 7:12am service from Paris to London and then the 3:31pm service from London to Paris, both today.

Tomorrow, the 7:12am service from Paris to London will also be cancelled.

A number of other Eurostar trains are facing delays as well including between Paris and Brussels, which will impact Brits changing trains at Paris.

According to the Eurostar website, the cancellations are due to “strike action on the French network” and that “local and national traffic in France will be heavily disrupted”.

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Passengers are being advised to keep an eye on Eurostar’s website and app for updates.

The Eurostar delays and cancellations aren’t the only trains impacted.

Across France and Italy there are nationwide strikes over the next 48 hours on rail services.

In France, strike action today is causing disruption across the entire country’s network including trains heading to Normandy, Brittany and Provence.

The action started at 7pm yesterday and will continue until 6am tomorrow.

According to Rail Europe, delays of between one-and-a-half hours and three hours can be expected on trains being run by TGV INOUI, OUIGO, and Eurostar.

On the other hand, in Italy, workers at state-owned rail companies such as Trenitalia, Trenord, and Trenitalia Tper will strike tomorrow from 3am until 2am on Friday.

Delays and cancellations are expected across the country including services to destinations such as Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice and Naples.

Though due to Italian laws, there will be services at peak times which include between 6am and 9am and between 6pm and 9pm.

According to RTL Today, train connections to Luxembourg are also being impacted.

For Brits on holiday in either Italy or France, if you are due to get on a train within the country or even on a Eurostar service, expect delays and cancellations, as well as busier train stations.

Sun Travel has contacted Eurostar for comment.

BOSTON — A federal judge on Friday struck down a Trump administration policy enacted after the shooting of two National Guard members that made it harder for immigrants from dozens of countries to stay and enter the U.S.

In a ruling harshly criticizing the administration, U.S. District Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. said the policy “threw the lives of countless immigrants living in the United States into indeterminate legal limbo,” and he accused the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of ignoring the law.

“In enacting its latest immigration policies, USCIS: claims statutory and regulatory authority that it does not possess; makes decisions without the reasoned explanations that it must provide; acts without regard for the reliance interests of applicants that it must consider; and justifies its actions with pretextual concerns of ‘national security’ that mask anti-immigrant sentiments that it is forbidden from letting influence its decision-making,” he wrote. “In legal terms that means USCIS’s actions are contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The policies enacted after the National Guard shooting last year meant that immigrants from 39 African, Asian, Latin American and Middle Eastern countries have been “categorically barred” from receiving final decisions on, among other things, their asylum, work permit, green card and citizenship applications.

“This ruling reaffirms a basic principle: the federal government cannot shut down lawful immigration pathways or discriminate against people based on where they come from,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which represented the plaintiffs in the case. “These unlawful policies caused enormous harm to families, workers, asylum-seekers, and communities across the country who were left in limbo, unable to work, access protections, or move forward with their lives.”

The policies apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which approves applications for immigrants to work and become citizens. The agency, which is within the Homeland Security Department, often grants asylum, but only for those already in the United States when they apply. Immigration judges grant asylum to those who are stopped at the border; the ruling does not affect them, and neither do the policies that sparked the lawsuit.

It is part of an ongoing effort by the administration to tighten U.S. entry standards for travel and immigration, in what critics say unfairly prevents travel for people from a broad range of countries. The administration suggested it would expand the restrictions after the arrest of an Afghan national suspect in the shooting of two National Guard troops over Thanksgiving weekend.

In its motion to dismiss, which the court denied, the government argued that Congress gave the executive branch broad authority over immigration policy, including “the entry of aliens into the United States as well as discretion within the statutory scheme to confer as well as withdraw various discretionary benefits.”

“This case rests on a remarkable premise: that a federal court should prevent an agency from issuing the very policy guidance that provides government personnel with the guardrails necessary to ensure consistent, non-arbitrary, and individualized decisionmaking consistent with federal law,” the government wrote in its brief.

Immigration groups celebrated the ruling.

“This ruling sets a powerful precedent that the administration cannot ignore the law as laid down by Congress and cannot arbitrarily bar immigration benefits on the basis of national origin by fiat,” said Jamal Abdi, president at the National Iranian American Council. “Fortunately, this is still a nation of laws, and those who uphold America’s values have recourse to challenge and push back on such discriminatory, arbitrary policies.”

Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran who heads a coalition that supports Afghan resettlement efforts called #AfghanEvac, said the ruling was a “significant victory for the rule of law and for thousands of Afghan allies and other immigrants who followed every requirement asked of them.”

“Just this week in Dallas and Fort Worth, we met people who feared losing jobs because delayed work permit renewals threatened their livelihoods, families who postponed education, travel, and homeownership because they did not know when their cases would be resolved, and future Americans who had expected to become citizens only to see their applications stall without explanation,” VanDiver said.

Casey writes for the Associated Press.

One savvy traveller has found an alternative way to jet off abroad that not only saves money, but also allows her to visit a plethora of destinations throughout the year

A woman has remarkably been able to visit seven countries in a year for less than £2,000.

Flights can be notoriously expensive, especially to those sought-after destinations. Even flights that are just for a few hours can quickly cost hundreds of pounds, leaving holidaymakers questioning their getaway to Europe.

Yet, that wasn’t going to stop Helen Dalling, 55, from travelling last year. Instead, she looked for alternative ways to travel that not only saved money but also ticked off a plethora of holiday destinations.

In a bid to travel as much as possible and to keep costs considerably low, Helen, from Milton Keynes, swapped longer getaways for short escapes. Some were extreme day trips flying to and from the destination within 24 hours, while others offered an overnight stay.

“I’ve always loved travelling, but as I’m getting older and I’ve got kids and I work full-time, I thought ‘I’m not going to see enough countries in the world’,” Helen told creatorzine.com. “‘If I don’t start going to see a few of them, I need to do them quick and cheap’. That’s really why I started doing it.”

While it’s certainly a little more hectic than a week-long beach getaway, the change in travel meant that the 55-year-old was able to visit seven countries last year for around £1,600. This included the costs of flights, airport parking, hotels, sightseeing, food and drink, and spending money.

In 2025, Helen travelled to Paris, Budapest, Alicante, Malaga, Split, Prague, Amsterdam, and Geneva twice. It varied how long she would stay in each destination, from just a few hours to an overnight stay.

“I went to seven brand new countries”, Helen said. “That’s what I really wanted to do, I thought, ‘I’ve never been to Hungary, so let’s go to Budapest’.”

To help keep costs as low as possible, Helen regularly looks out for deals from different airlines that fly from her nearest airport, London Luton. “When I went to Paris, I was basically just browsing on New Year’s Day, not doing much else, and I spotted that you could get a flight to Paris for £13, one way and £12 the other”, she revealed. “I just booked it – and then when I told a friend, she booked it too and came with me.”

Helen continued: “The Budapest flights were about £8.99 each way; you can’t even get them that cheap anymore. I’ve done others that were £15-£20 return; I just book them – when I see the price, I just go for it.”

While she sometimes travels solo, it’s often a great chance to catch up with friends on an extreme day trip. “Instead of going to London for lunch, let’s go somewhere for the day,” Helen said.

“I did Geneva twice last year, but the second one I did at Christmas was with a real old friend of mine who is really into her food. So we went and did a foodie trip to the Christmas markets in Geneva and just went for the day – she’d never done one.

“Everybody that I’ve done one with has said ‘Oh my God, that was amazing’. I’ve got a bit of a queue of people wanting to go as well, but only so much money.”

After visiting seven countries last year, Budapest, which cost £191 for an overnight stay, stood out for Helen. “We just fell in love with Budapest,” she said. “Every time we did something else afterwards, I just said to my friend, ‘It’s not Budapest, though, is it? It’s not Budapest.’

“It was February when we did that, but the sky was blue, and we had the best time.

“It was super cheap, and everything just worked.” She added: “It was so lush. We were just sitting in these massive pools of boiling hot water with the cold air on our skin, just going, ‘This is amazing.'”

Following her extreme trips last year, Helen is determined to do the same this year. She’s already travelled to Palma in Mallorca with a friend for under £120, spent the night in Lithuania, and ventured to Albania for the day.

She confessed: “I’m always buzzing after a day trip. I would definitely do it again, it’s a great way to visit countries you’d never visit by going on one holiday a year.

“Last year I visited seven new countries, and it’s liberating.”

Price breakdown of Helen’s 2025 trips

• Paris – £139 (extreme day trip)
• Budapest – £191 (overnight)
• Alicante – £62 (extreme day trip)
• Malaga – £118 (extreme day trip)
• Geneva – £182 (extreme day trip)
• Split – £315 (overnight)
• Prague – £165.11 (overnight)
• Amsterdam – £290 (overnight)
• Geneva – £138 (extreme day trip)

Total – £1,600.11

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

LOOKING back on all of her recent holidays, Helen Dalling recalled all the amazing adventures she had in such a short amount of time.

Over the course of one year, she managed to do more travelling that many could wish to do in a lifetime – and she did it without breaking the bank.

Seven countries, £2,000 spent, and more memories made than anyone could dream of.

It all started when Helen decided to see how many new places she could visit for as cheap as possible – and managed to keep costs low while making the most of each new adventure.

She did this by making each trip as short as possible, with some being ‘extreme day trips’ – where you fly in and out of a country within the same 24 hours – and others being just an overnight stay.

And despite packing in a full holiday experience each time, the total cost came in at around £1,600 including flights, airport parking, any hotels, sightseeing, food and drink, and spending money.

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“I’ve always loved travelling but as I’m getting older and I’ve got kids and I work full-time, I thought ‘I’m not going to see enough countries in the world,” Helen, who is from Milton Keynes, said.

“‘If I don’t start going to see a few of them, I need to do them quick and cheap’.

“That’s really why I started doing it.”

While Helen started her extreme day tripping in 2024, it was in 2025 that she really went all out – visiting seven new countries throughout the year.
She headed to Paris, Budapest, Geneva, Split in Croatia, Prague, Amsterdam and several places in Spain in 2025.

The 55-year-old stayed just hours in some places, and spent the night in others, and visited most with friends, while others she headed to alone.

She added: “I went to seven brand new countries.

“That’s what I really wanted to do, I thought ‘I’ve never been to Hungary so let’s go to Budapest’.”

Helen says she tries to keep costs as low as possible, by regularly searching for bargains on the websites of different airlines she knows fly from her nearest airport, Luton.

She added: “When I went to Paris, I was basically just browsing on New Year’s Day, not doing much else and I spotted that you could get a flight to Paris for £13, one way and £12 the other.

“I just booked it – and then when I told a friend, she booked it too and came with me.

“The Budapest flights were about £8.99 each way, you can’t even get them that cheap anymore.

“I’ve done others that were £15-£20 return; I just book them – when I see the price, I just go for it.”

While Helen does some of her trips solo, she often has friends tag along for the day.

She says she treats her trips as “an opportunity to catch up with a friend.”

She added: “Instead of going to London for lunch, let’s go somewhere for the day.

“I did Geneva twice last year, but the second one I did at Christmas was with a real old friend of mine who is really into her food.

“So we went and did a foodie trip to the Christmas markets in Geneva and just went for the day, she’d never done one.

“Everybody that I’ve done one with has said ‘oh my God, that was amazing’.

“I’ve got a bit of a queue of people wanting to go as well, but only so much money.”

Of all her trips in 2025, Helen says her adventure to Budapest, which cost £191 for an overnight stay, was the best – particularly for its Thermal Baths.

She said: “We just fell in love with Budapest.

“Every time we did something else afterwards, I just said to my friend ‘it’s not Budapest though, is it? It’s not Budapest.’

“It was February when we did that but the sky was blue and we had the best time.

“It was super cheap and everything just worked.

“It was so lush.

“We were just sat in these massive pools of boiling hot water with the cold air on our skin, just going ‘this is amazing.’”

Helen shows no signs of slowing down with her bargain trips either, having already undertaken several in 2026.

She recently visited Palma, Mallorca with a friend, for under £120 each.

They spent the day exploring the city, visiting a sky bar restaurant for lunch, heading to the beach to swim and even stopping for iced coffee at a beach bar.

Most recently, Helen spent the night in Lithuania, and even visited Albania for the day.

She added: “ I’m always buzzing after a day trip.

“I would definitely do it again, it’s a great way to visit countries you’d never visit by going on one holiday a year.

“Last year I visited seven new countries and it’s liberating.”

BANGKOK — With summer around the corner, soaring prices and other complications from the war with Iran are straining the tourism-dependent economies of Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia.

The region’s peak tourist summer season is at risk as elevated jet fuel costs coupled with ceasefire uncertainties prompt flight cancellations and higher ticket prices.

Tourism in Asia has yet to fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, many countries are coping with the war’s repercussions on global energy supplies and prices, which hit Asia first and hardest. Some families are pulling back on travel as gas and groceries get more expensive worldwide. Crowds have thinned at some places once synonymous with travel.

“With gasoline prices rising and tourism declining, how can we make money?” asked Siv Pech, a 58-year-old rickshaw driver in Siem Reap, home to Cambodia’s centuries-old Angkor Wat temple complex.

Tourism is an economic lifeline for many developing nations. It contributes nearly 13% of gross domestic product in Thailand and nearly 9% in Vietnam, and it underpins millions of jobs in Cambodia. Travelers bring in much-needed foreign currency for import-dependent economies such as the Philippines and Nepal.

Those tourism dollars are more crucial than ever as war-driven spikes in oil prices push up the cost of fuel imports, especially for parts of the world that relied on the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast as a conduit for much of their oil and gas. Iran essentially shut down the strait to commercial traffic after the U.S. and Israel launched the war more than three months ago.

The war will determine which tourism businesses can survive long enough to benefit from the eventual return of travelers, said Jitsai Santaputra of the Lantau Group, an energy industry consulting firm. “This, happening within five years of each other, first the pandemic and now the war, is horrible for the tourism industry,” she said.

Travel costs

Jet fuel shortages and surging costs have led Vietnam Airlines, the Malaysia-based AirAsia group, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific and other carriers to cut flights or otherwise adjust schedules.

European carriers face a squeeze for similar reasons.

Airspace closures across the Persian Gulf early in the war and the intermittent closures of certain Persian Gulf airports cut off key layover locations for Asia-bound flights or forced commercial airplanes to take longer, costlier routes.

Airfares have jumped, with airlines such as Air India and Cathay Pacific implementing sharp increases in fuel surcharges.

Cathay Pacific’s fuel surcharge for medium-haul flights has jumped to $80, up from $34 before the war. For long-haul flights, it increased to $174, up from $73.

“Jet fuel prices remain at highly elevated levels” and have increased cost pressures, said Lavinia Lau, Cathay’s chief customer and commercial officer. Travelers are booking closer to their departure dates, she said, indicating growing unease.

Sandra Awodele, a freelance travel writer in the Washington area, often plans year-round international trips and hoped this summer would be when she finally crossed off Asia from her bucket list.

In March, she began planning a long-awaited vacation to Thailand, envisioning one to two weeks of exploring. Her plans hit a wall when she checked airfares.

“I looked at flight options and that’s where it ended,” Awodele said.

On the ground, rising fuel costs in tourism-dependent Southeast Asia are squeezing taxi and ride-hailing app drivers.

Pech, the Cambodian rickshaw driver, said he used to earn up to $20 a day toting tourists around Siem Reap. That’s plummeted to about $5 a day.

His gas bill eats half of that. The rest goes to food. “Some days, I don’t earn even a cent,” he said.

Slow summer expected

Tourism is vital for many regional economies, accounting for nearly 11% of economic activity in the Assn. of Southeast Asian Nations in 2019, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

An analysis by Moody’s Analytics estimated effects from the war would probably reduce economic growth across the Asia-Pacific region by 0.1 to 0.4 percentage points in 2026.

“The conflict will weigh on growth mainly through higher production costs and consumer prices, along with weaker external demand from trade and tourism,” said Albert Park, chief economist at the Asia Development Bank.

Higher airfares and weaker travel confidence can quickly spill over into household livelihoods and public revenues in economies where visitor arrivals are a major source of jobs, income and foreign exchange, according to a recent report by the United Nations Development Program.

Travel is often the first expense people cut when the economy worsens, said Le Tuyet Lan, who runs bed-and-breakfast properties in Vietnam’s Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

In times of crisis, luxury travelers tend to shift toward mid-range options, mid-range travelers move toward budget hotels, and the cheapest tier of the market becomes the most vulnerable.

“This will disrupt the whole industry,” she said.

‘We are feeling it’

Tourism in Thailand is “a big industry and we are feeling it,” said Santaputra with the Lantau Group in Bangkok, one of Southeast Asia’s most visited cities.

The number of visitors to Thailand fell 7% year-on-year in April, while European arrivals fell almost 16% and Middle Eastern arrivals sank 57%, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

In neighboring Cambodia, Sokha Sambo, owner of the popular Sambo Khmer & Thai Restaurant in Siem Reap, said the rising price of liquefied petroleum gas used for cooking has strained her budget, hindering her ability to dish out her signature green curries.

“I’m worried about gas and goods inflation. It makes the business less profitable and difficult to cover employees’ salaries,” said Sambo, who has 14 staff members.

In the first four months of 2026, the number of recorded international and domestic visitors to Siem Reap dropped by 37.5% compared with the same period last year, according to the province’s tourism department.

“This has greatly affected all of us,” Sambo said.

Delgado and Chan write for the Associated Press and reported from Bangkok and Hong Kong, respectively. AP writers Aniruddha Ghosal in Hanoi and Rio Yamat in Las Vegas and freelance journalist Sinorn Thang in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, contributed to this report.

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Brits to a number of destinations as a new Ebola outbreak has been declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for a number of countries after an Ebola outbreak earlier this month in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

On May 15, the country’s Ministry of Health confirmed an outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo in the North-Eastern Ituri Province, while cases have also been confirmed in Uganda. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has since declared Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

As a result, a number of destinations to introduce stricter measures for travellers from health screenings for foreign nationals to quarantine for residents in certain cases.

For example, Kenya has introduced enhanced health screenings for passengers arriving from Uganda, Ethiopia, and DRC, while Tanzania has also introduced increase public health measures for incoming travellers.

Now the Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Uganda, Angola and the Central African Republic, with warnings around new health screenings and entry requirements for anyone travelling to those destinations.

In its Angola advice, it warns: “On 15 May the Democratic Republic of Congo Ministry of Health announced an outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo in the North-Eastern Ituri Province. Read more about the Ebola outbreak on TravelHealth Pro and see information on Ebola and similar diseases. World Health Organisation (WHO) have declared this a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Due to the outbreak, you may experience heightened health screening at international borders in the region. Check entry requirements for the country you’re travelling to or transiting.”

The Foreign Office has already been advising “against all travel to parts of Central African Republic” before the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda, but has updated its advice due to the country sharing a border with the DRC.

Virginia Messina, Group CEO of African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA), said: “Established protocols are in place within countries bordering the DRC and as a result tourism operations and business trips across the wider African continent continue normally. As of 27 May, no other cases have been detected outside of Uganda and DRC. The risk to travellers on standard itineraries outside affected areas remains very low, and it’s important to highlight that Ebola is not easily transmitted through casual contact.

“However, travel rules and screening measures may change quickly. The WHO (World Health Organisation) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) are scaling up efforts to contain the virus but continue to advise against blanket travel restrictions and neither the UK, nor any European country has introduced entry bans.”