Global events are not deterring Novocastrians from wanting to travel overseas, the founder and chief executive of Helloworld Hunter Travel Group says.
And demand is "bouncing back" as Middle East transit hubs reopen.
Brett Dann has welcomed the federal government's decision to lower Australia's Smartraveller advisory level for key Middle East transit destinations, describing it as a "welcome and sensible outcome" for Australian travellers.
"Hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha continued to operate safely and efficiently, yet many travellers faced uncertainty around insurance coverage and travel plans," he said.
"The recent changes to Smartraveller advice are another positive step in restoring confidence for travellers using some of the world's busiest aviation hubs.
"We expect to see many Australians proceed with travel plans that may have been delayed while this uncertainty existed."
After the US began its attack on Iran in late February, the Australian government issued a 'do not travel' warning for the region.
The advice dampened Australian demand for travel to the Middle East and to regional hubs normally served by some international carriers as jumping-off points to destinations in Europe.
The latest Smartraveller advice, issued last week, means airports in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Israel are now open to Australian travellers. Importantly, the change restores full travel insurance coverage for Australians transiting through these destinations, providing greater confidence for travellers heading to Europe, Africa and beyond.
"We're seeing a bounce-back, with more people travelling again. Demand remains robust because travel is no longer viewed as a luxury by many Australians - it's a priority," Mr Dann said.
"People want to reconnect with family, explore the world and create experiences that matter.
"Australians have shown time and again that while world events may delay travel plans, they rarely stop them altogether. The desire to explore the world remains as strong as ever."
It is good news for the travel industry after a trying period.
Fellow travel brand Flight Centre said the new peace deal between the US and Iran would give it a clearer runway into 2026/27 and a "significant earnings tailwind" after downgrading its earnings for the current financial year due to the conflict.
Locally, the easing of tensions caps off a good week for Helloworld Hunter Travel Group, who were named NSW and Australia's Helloworld Travel Agency of the Year (Multi-Store) at the 2026 Helloworld Travel Owners and Managers Conference in Cairns.
Its sister companies, RACT Travel and RACQ Travel, were named Helloworld Travel Agency of the Year (Multi-Store) in Victoria/Tasmania and Queensland.
Mr Dann said the results reflect the dedication of the group's people.
"At the time of COVID-19 there were about 25,000 people overseas, and we worked 24-7 to repatriate those people; geolocating them, letting them know that the country was about to close down," he said.
"That created a lot of loyalty in our client base."
He said the travel industry had faced many challenges and had "demonstrated extraordinary resilience over recent years".
"We've navigated a global pandemic, operational challenges, inflationary pressures and now geopolitical uncertainty, yet Australians continue to place enormous value on travel," he said.
"We're working closely with Newcastle Airport and industry partners to attract more direct international flights to Newcastle - the more we can get, the better. We'd like to see direct to Singapore or direct to the US."
