— The Wall Street Journal: The trend of economic recovery in the Gulf countries in 2026 is fading as the U.S. and Iran war drags on.

Dubai and its neighboring Gulf countries have been hit by sharp declines in tourism, air transport, hotels, the real estate market, and major events.

✈ Passenger traffic at Dubai airport has fallen 31% in the first half of the year. 🏨 Hotel occupancy rates have reached 56%. 🏠 Luxury property sales have fallen 59%. 🏎Some major events, including the Bahrain Formula One race and the Saudi Arabia World Cup of eSports, have been canceled or moved to other locations.

To support their economies, governments in the region are offering economic stimulus packages and incentives for tourism; however, business managers increasingly expect weak economic conditions to continue until the end of the year and even, after the fighting ends, expect the pace of economic recovery to remain slow.

Source: The Wall Street Journal (WSJ)