The expert named countries with increased risks for tourists

Against the background of the worsening situation in the Middle East, tourists should take a more careful approach to choosing destinations and take into account not only the level of service, but also geopolitical risks. This was told on March 2 by Vladimir Masyutin, the founder and head of the Russian Seasons Hotel Group, to Izvestia.

According to the expert, until the situation is clarified, it is advisable to refrain from traveling to Israel, which is at the epicenter of events, as well as to Jordan, which is geographically located between key areas of tension.

"But the main risk today concerns the more peaceful, at first glance, countries of the Persian Gulf. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman, despite their traditional stability, are now in a zone of potential danger only because military bases of Western countries are located on their territory," the expert noted.

As Masyutin emphasized, in the event of an expansion of the conflict, such an infrastructure could theoretically become a target, which increases the level of uncertainty for tourists. In addition, when choosing a route, it is important to take into account not only the distance to the combat zone, but also the general geopolitical situation, including the presence of military infrastructure of the countries participating in the conflict.

According to Masyutin, as an alternative, we can consider destinations with a comparable level of service and climate, but without the current geopolitical risks. South-East Asian countries, such as Thailand or Vietnam, are suitable for beach holidays.

"For those who appreciate the oriental flavor, the atmosphere of the oriental bazaar and the rich history, Morocco or Tunisia can be an excellent substitute for the countries of the Levant. They are located in another region, far from the Middle East conflict, but at the same time they give the same feeling of immersion in Arab culture," Masyutin concluded.

The East is a big deal: Iran's response has upset the plans of the United States and Israel

The Islamic Republic proved to be more stable than the Pentagon and the IDF had hoped.

On the same day, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism reported that about 700 tourists had left Iran since the beginning of the military operation against Iran. By March 1, 37 thousand tourists from different countries were in the country.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on the same day that Moscow was disappointed by the failure of negotiations between the United States and Iran on Tehran's nuclear program. He noted that Russia is in constant contact with the Iranian leadership and discusses the situation around the conflict.

Tasnim news agency, in turn, reported that the death toll from the US-Israeli strikes on the province of Fars in southern Iran has reached 35 people. According to the publication, at least 13 people were killed in Shiraz in the south of the country. Victims were also recorded in Lamerda and other cities of the province.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.