UK relaxes travel advice for UAE and some other Gulf states after US-Iran deal

LONDON: Britain on Thursday said it was no longer advising against non-essential travel to some Gulf states including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, after the United States and Iran reached an interim agreement this week to end their ‌war.
In late ‌February and early March, ​Britain ‌had ⁠issued ​warnings against non-essential ⁠travel to the region after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran and Iran then fired missiles at Gulf states.
The conflict has impacted global travel to the region, which is both a ⁠busy destination and transit hub, ‌for months.
In its ‌updated travel advice, the ​British foreign office noted ‌the US-Iran deal, but added that ‌the situation remained unpredictable and that “attacks could resume at short notice.”
London-based ABTA, which represents travel agents and tour operators, described the change as ‌the most important development for tourism to and through the Middle ⁠East ⁠in some time.
“People have been delaying booking their summer holiday because they wanted to see what happened with the conflict in the Middle East, and that the government travel advice is an important factor in confidence to travel,” ABTA boss Mark Tanzer said in a statement.
“While we’re not out of the woods yet, ​hopefully this ​change will open up the market more broadly.”