The escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran has sparked concern among international tourists in Dharamshala, a popular mountain town in northern India.
Frequent flight cancellations and disruptions, especially at Kangra Airport, have visitors worried about travel plans and return flights, highlighting the growing impact of tensions in West Asia on global travel.
Speaking to ANI, Israeli tourist Vela expressed her concerns about disruption to travel plans. She said: “I was supposed to continue this morning to Israel, but my flight was cancelled. I continued here and am trying to find a way to return home. People in Israel live in shelters and in Israel, we have shelters in almost every home. If I have the opportunity, the only message I can give is that all of humanity is one, and my deepest prayers are for peace. I will find some ways to return, but it may take a few days.”
Expressing concerns over possible flight cancellations, Surender Agarwal, an NRI, told ANI: “I have just come to visit Dharamshala and our flights back home are in the week. The current war situation is worrying and any cancellation of international flights will affect our personal programme. We hope that the war will not continue and the international airports will remain open.”
Commenting on the impact on tourists’ itineraries, Dr. Vinay Gupta, a surgeon from Delhi, said: “It definitely has a big impact on tourists because they have a certain period to visit this place, and if any flight is cancelled, it is difficult for them to complete their tour in the same period, so the government and the responsible authorities must take care of the passengers because flights are canceled due to war or international problems. There is no impact on domestic flights, but some are facing problems.”
Dharamshala received over 30,000 foreign tourists in 2025, the highest number since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The flight cancellations come amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East after coordinated military strikes involving Israel and the United States targeted Iranian sites, sparking threats of retaliation and the closure of airspace in Iran, Israel and Iraq.
Reuters quoted Iranian official media as saying that general mourning was declared in Iran for 40 days after Khamenei’s death.
