Gulf hotel peak-season bookings weighed down by US midterm elections and Iran situation

Reported on November 3, 2026, Gulf region hotels have entered peak season, but bookings lag behind the same period last year. Leisure travelers are postponing bookings while waiting to see the outcome of the US midterm elections, and some travelers are canceling their trips outright. Saurabh Tiwari, Vice President of IHCL for the Middle East, Maldives and Sri Lanka, said fourth-quarter performance is below what was expected in August, with travelers waiting for the election results and also hesitating due to high ticket prices. Ali Siddiqui, research manager at consulting firm Cavendish Maxwell, gave an expectation for Dubai visitor numbers. The report mentions that the Iran situation and the US midterm elections together affect Gulf hotel peak-season bookings.