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随着中国公民离开伊朗，旅行社为中东旅行提供免费取消和退款服务 2026-03-02
Major Chinese travel agencies, including Trip.Com, Qunar, and Tongcheng Travel, are offering free trip cancellations and refunds covering most Middle Eastern countries after US-Israeli military strikes on Iran, while Chinese nationals in the Islamic Republic evacuate.
Trip.Com, Qunar, and their partner merchants will jointly shoulder any cancellation losses for hotel bookings across 14 Middle Eastern countries, including Iran, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, made before 5 p.m. on Feb. 28 with travel dates between that day and March 5, the pair said the same day.
Travel platforms resounded quickly after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, as a wave of cancellations and itinerary changes is expected in coming days. Although most Chinese tour groups that visited the region over the nine-day Chinese New Year holiday, which ended Feb. 23, have returned home, some travelers remain there.
UTour Group said it will also offer free cancellations, covering travelers departing on or before March 15. Tongcheng Travel is accepting free hotel cancellations and flight rescheduling, while deploying a ground team to Dubai, with staff stationed at airports to help stranded tourists with accommodation and emergency itinerary changes.
While the Middle East conflict zone is not a traditional hotspot for Chinese travelers, the four major global aviation hubs of Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh all lie within the broader impact zone, said a spokesperson for Qunar's Big Data Research Institute. A major uptick in refund and rebooking requests is expected in coming days due to the closure of airspace and widespread grounding of flights, the person added.
Some Chinese tourists stranded at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport have been out in hotels by the authorities and are awaiting further notice after the city's two major airports suspended operations, travelers said on social media.
Wang Danhong, who has run a hotel in Tehran for more than 12 years, told Yicai that business dried up almost entirely after an internet blackout in January, leading her to suspend operations. She has since returned to China, while her business partner traveled overland to Armenia. "I hope he is safe," she said.
A group chat for Chinese nationals in Iran has several hundred members, with some still watching and waiting while others are considering relocating to rural or border areas, Wang pointed out, adding that some plan to leave the country by land routes.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Iran have urged citizens to evacuate as soon as possible, releasing details of accessible land border crossings. Chinese passport holders can enter Azerbaijan via Astara and Armenia via Agarak visa-free and cross into Turkey via border posts in Van, Agri, and Hakkari provinces. Entry into Iraq through Shalamcheh requires either a pre-arranged e-visa or a visa obtained at the border.
Source: Yicai Global
