Package holidays to Dubai and Egypt cheaper as European prices creep up

Image source, Getty Images By Colletta Smith , BBC Your Voice correspondent  and  Elaine Doran , BBC Your Voice producer Published 12 minutes ago Family package holidays to destinations like Dubai and Egypt are cheaper this summer than last as tour operators cut prices to tempt people back. The war in Iran has put many UK holidaymakers off travelling to countries near to the conflict or through Middle Eastern airspace - opting instead to stay in Europe. Prices for an average all-inclusive seven-night family stay in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have dropped by 25% this August compared with last. And the same holiday to Egypt is 8% cheaper, according to TravelSupermarket data compiled for the BBC. At the same time, the cost of package deals to Spain, Portugal and Greece are up between 3-5%, the data suggests. Image source, Tim Harris Image caption, The Harris family cancelled their Dubai holiday and booked a trip to Mexico instead Tim and Natalie Harris from Swansea had booked a holiday to Dubai with their two teenage daughters this summer, but when the Iran war broke out they cancelled and lost their deposit. "We did manage to find a package for £6,400 for all-inclusive in Mexico which we've booked," says Tim. Last month, the Foreign Office dropped its advice against travelling to Dubai , after the US and Iran reached an agreement to stop the war, but warned British citizens that "the situation remains unpredictable" in the region. Tour operators have cut prices to other destinations - an average holiday to Morocco is down 6.5%, Tunisia down 2.5% and Turkey 1.6% cheaper than last summer. Mollie Hitchen, assistant manager of Marple Travel Hyde, says customers were more nervous this year about going anywhere near the Middle East, or getting stuck somewhere further afield because of fuel shortages. "People will ask questions, but we just reassure people that there is absolutely no problems with those destinations," she says. Image source, Flora Badger Image caption, Flora Badger got in touch with the BBC after seeing holiday prices fluctuate Flora Badger is taking three teenage girls on their first holiday abroad this summer. She contacted BBC Your Voice to share her frustrations in watching holiday prices fluctuate. Flora first considered booking in April to avoid the expensive summer months, but says she held off over situation in the Middle East and fears of getting stuck abroad. She ended up booking to go to the Spanish island of Lanzarote in September. "Price was a huge, huge issue," she says. "It's very frustrating how much it increases in the school holidays. "At the end of the day they need a treat, we've been saving up for it, they've been looking forward to it, so we're planning on going." The steep price rises for European holidays may have slowed but they're still creeping up, TravelSupermarket data suggests. The cost of an average all-inclusive seven-night family stay this August to Spain is up by 4% to £155 per person. For Portu