Fuel price surge disrupts Easter and spring travel worldwide

Friday 03 April 2026 - 16:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Fuel price surge disrupts Easter and spring travel worldwide

Rising fuel costs driven by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East are reshaping Easter and spring holiday travel across multiple continents, forcing millions of consumers to cancel trips, shorten itineraries, or stay closer to home as the global tourism industry braces for a difficult season.

In Australia, a Tourism & Transport Forum survey conducted between March 26 and 29 found that 41% of Australians had either canceled or scaled back their Easter travel plans. Many are opting for shorter, closer-to-home alternatives, with the share of travelers planning to holiday within their own state falling from 27% to 21% in a single month. Airlines are also feeling the strain, with Jetstar announcing plans to cut roughly 12% of certain trans-Tasman flights beginning in May.

Thailand is facing a similar contraction. Spending during the Songkran festival is projected to fall 3.7% to 129.65 billion baht, the steepest decline since 2022, when the Russia-Ukraine war rattled the global economy, according to a survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. A recent fuel price increase of six baht per liter has hit middle-income households particularly hard, with domestic and international travel during Songkran expected to drop by 20% to 30%.

In the United Kingdom, tens of millions of motorists are pressing ahead with Easter travel despite sharply higher pump prices. The AA estimated 21.7 million journeys were planned for Thursday alone. The RAC reported that the average price of diesel at British forecourts reached 184.2 pence per liter on Wednesday, up 29% since the conflict began on February 28, while petrol prices rose 16% over the same period to 153.7 pence per liter.

South Africa is seeing a decisive shift toward domestic tourism. A Cape Town Tourism survey found that while 54% of respondents plan to travel in April, 94% intend to remain within the country. Round-trip flights between Johannesburg and Cape Town approaching 10,000 rand over the Easter weekend are accelerating that trend.

The disruption traces back to the war in Iran and associated attacks on energy infrastructure around the Strait of Hormuz, which have driven sharp increases in crude oil prices. Jet fuel costs have more than doubled in some regions, rising by as much as 120%, while diesel has climbed nearly 40%. The effects are rippling across Europe as well, with German holidaymakers facing higher costs for Easter and summer bookings, according to Euronews. Vietnam Airlines is preparing to cancel numerous domestic flights from next month. Associate Professor Thanawat Polvichai of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce noted that consumer caution now mirrors behavior seen during the COVID-19 crisis and the early stages of the Russia-Ukraine war.