Sanaa, Jan 6, (dpa/GNA) – Hundreds of tourists are stranded on Yemen’s Socotra Island, after renewed fighting in southern Yemen forced the suspension of flights, local sources told dpa on Tuesday.
Tour guides and residents reported that hotels are fully booked, forcing some visitors to rent private homes or stay with guides.
Many tourists have run out of money, as most local businesses operate only in cash and money-transfer services are limited or slow.
Previously, all international flights to Socotra went through the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a long-time ally of Saudi Arabia in Yemen’s civil war.
Recent clashes between UAE-backed separatists and government forces loyal to Saudi Arabia, have disrupted travel routes.
For the first time, Yemenia Airways, the state-owned airline, announced direct flights to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
The first flight is scheduled for Wednesday to evacuate stranded tourists, with plans for regular weekly flights thereafter. Future UAE routes remain uncertain.
Despite Yemen’s ongoing civil war since 2014, Socotra has grown as a tourist destination.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site is renowned for its unique biodiversity, with 37% of its 825 plant species and 90% of its reptile species found nowhere else in the world.
GNA