(Yicai) March 2 -- Trip.Com, Qunar, Tongcheng Travel, and other Chinese travel platforms have launched emergency cancellation and refund options free of charge that cover most countries in the Middle East after the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, while Chinese nationals in Iran have stepped up evacuation efforts.

Trip.Com, Qunar, and their partner merchants will jointly absorb 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 for between that day and March 5, the two announced on the same day.

Major travel agencies swiftly activated emergency response tools for Middle Eastern routes due to the high number of cancellations and rebookings expected in the near term after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, Yicai learned. Despite most tour groups that traveled to the region over the nine-day Chinese New Year holiday, which ended Feb. 23, having returned, some travelers remain there.

UTour Group said it will also offer free cancellation, covering travelers departing on or before March 15. Tongcheng Travel rolled out free hotel cancellation and flight rescheduling policies, while setting up a ground team in Dubai with dedicated staff stationed at airports to assist 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 impact zone, said a spokesperson for Qunar's Big Data Research Institute. A significant surge in refund and rebooking requests is expected in the coming days due to the closure of airspace and widespread flight cancellations, the person added.

Some Chinese tourists stranded at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport have been placed in hotels by relevant authorities and are awaiting further notice after the city's two major airports suspended operations, multiple travelers said on social media.

Wang Danhong, who has run a hotel in Tehran for over 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 noted.

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.

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, while entry into Iraq through Shalamcheh requires either a pre-arranged e-visa or obtaining a visa at the border.

Editor: Martin Kadiev