The European tourism sector is seeing significant reorientation of travellers: the Middle East crisis is causing tourists to cancel plans for Cyprus, Turkey and Greece, and instead massively book Spain, Italy, Malta and Croatia.

Tour operator TUI reported increased demand for "familiar and easily accessible destinations". British travel agent Jonathan Woodall-Johnson confirmed particularly strong interest in "Italy, Malta and Croatia". Shares of European airlines flying to the Middle East fell - On the Beach by 13%, EasyJet by 16%, Jet2 by 10%.

British Airways cancelled flights to Abu Dhabi, and Wizz Air is redirecting about 50% of its Middle East capacity to European destinations, with Croatia taking a prominent position. Flight prices have jumped - up to 1,000 pounds per person for economy class tickets on certain routes.

Meanwhile, wealthy residents of the region are paying up to 145,000 dollars for private planes to evacuate. Demand for charter flights has grown from 10-15 daily to 98 weekly in Muscat, Dubai and Riyadh alone.