(Yicai) March 3 -- Most Chinese tourists stranded in Dubai keep waiting for flight information while staying in local hotels amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East after the US-Israeli military strikes on Iran, while other Chinese nationals have left the Islamic Republic by land with plans to fly back to China from Türkiye and other countries in the region.

The internet connection in Dubai has been intermittent due to the conflict, making phone calls impossible at times, likely due to restrictions, a Chinese tourist surnamed Ma, who arrived in Dubai the day before the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, told Yicai yesterday.

Ma is staying at the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, where a duplex room costs thousands of dollars per night, noting that the hotel facilities are good and everything is in order. Regarding online rumors that the building was attacked, he noted that "it is very safe and not as terrifying as rumored."

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated after the US-Israeli military strikes began, leading Iran, Israel, Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and others to close airspaces, significantly impacting global air transportation due to many flights needing to be cancelled or rerouted.

Li Lingwen, a guide at Spring Tour, was leading a 33-person group in Dubai that was supposed to leave from the Dubai International Airport on Feb. 28, but was informed that the check-in procedures had been temporarily suspended at the airport.

"At around 5 p.m. on Feb. 28, we safely sent all the tourists to a hotel and all of them managed to check in," Li said to Yicai. "We are keeping an eye on the flight situation at all times."

Regarding the local atmosphere, Ma said that everything was calm at the Dubai Mall, the largest shopping mall in the city, when he went there on the morning of March 1, but about half of the stores were closed. Later that day, he had dinner at a restaurant in the mall and watched the Burj Khalifa Light Show, where he took a video of tourists enjoying their time.

Although Dubai is well-organized, Ma said he has been away for several days and is eager to return home. "As soon as the airspace is opened, I hope to return immediately," he noted, adding that he is awaiting updates from Emirates Airlines.

Emirates Airlines plans to cover all expenses for passengers during the flight suspension, including hotel rooms, Ma pointed out. He was initially scheduled to check in at the Armani Hotel Dubai in the Burj Khalifa yesterday, but the carrier instead arranged for him to stay at a designated hotel.

Major Chinese travel agencies, including Trip.Com, Qunar, and Tongcheng Travel, have been offering free trip cancellations and refunds covering most Middle Eastern countries due to the conflict.

Qunar extended the period of its policy for it and its partner merchants to shoulder any cancellation losses for hotel bookings made before 5 p.m. on Feb. 28 for 14 Middle Eastern countries, including Iran, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, to March 15.

"I lived in Iran for over 10 years and returned to China recently, but I still have many friends there," Wang Danhong, who used to run a hotel in Tehran, told Yicai. "Starting from March 1, they have been leaving Iran by land, mainly heading for Armenia and Türkiye.

"They had largely left Iran as of yesterday," Wang noted. "After entering Türkiye, most of them choose to fly back to China as soon as possible. Everything is normal in Türkiye, so some of my friends should be able to return soon."

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 Türkiye 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.

Editor: Martin Kadiev